Social Media Life (Lessons)

#160: Guest Post - Do you choose Social Media as your primary source of news today? You may be surprised to learn just how many people do!

2012-01-29T18:39:00.003-06:00

By Abigail Goss

Eighteen hours a week. That’s how much time I spend in classrooms. I also work 15 hours a week at two part-time jobs. Somewhere in there, I eat, sleep and do college-kid-type things. I wish I had time to lazily read a newspaper everyday or sit at my computer and read any xyznews.com’s article. The reality is that I can’t. Can you?

It would be easy to simply hide in this collegiate world, but I choose not to. As a student immersed in journalism and mass communications every day, I am driven to keep up with what is going on in the world. I depend on Twitter for my news and follow the Associated Press, CNN, CBS, Fox News and any other news source I can find – reading the headlines – every single day.

Social media as a news source has been beneficial to me. I get my news the way I need it – which is fast. Twitter is the most efficient source of headlines, and as a very busy student, I prefer it. Where do you get your news these days?

The comments section is open!

Abigail Goss is a junior in the journalism and mass communications department at Murray State University. She is pursuing a major in public relations and a minor in advertising. Abigail enjoys working out, writing and a great cup of coffee. When she graduates in May 2012, she hopes to find her dream job in the Nashville area at a dynamic PR firm.

#159 - Guest Post: Are we becoming too dependent on Social Media?

2012-01-20T16:01:00.002-06:00

By Lakyn Tankersley

Social media has completely altered the way that we communicate with one another. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, just to name a few, have changed modern communication.

Social media is rampant these days, and since we live in a technology dependent world, some of us are becoming so reliant upon the amenities at our disposal from the Internet to smart phones, to video games and even our household conveniences (the washer/dryer, microwave, television) that we are lost without our tech tools and toys.

Lately, I find myself wondering if we aren’t too dependent upon social media, in particular. When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is check my email, Facebook and Twitter accounts. I know I am not alone in this. And, it’s not only my generation that's affected. LinkedIn is now an absolute must for job seekers. I've noticed that my parent’s and grandparent’s are using social media almost as often as my friends and I do.

Social media has slowly become a primary way we communicate. Is it too easy to skip meeting face-to-face to talk about anything anymore? We are choosing more and more often to send emails and text messages instead of actually calling or getting together. Cell phones may have made our lives more convenient, but it is the ability to access social networks via our phones that has truly changed the nature of relationships, in my opinion.

I hate to admit that we might be becoming too dependent on social media. If talking in person becomes a thing of the past, what’s next?

Lakyn Tankersley is a senior Organizational Communication major/Journalism minor at Murray State University (a fully accredited university in the beautiful lakes region of West Kentucky). Lakyn is passionate about music and communication. She plans to graduate in December 2011 and pursue a career in Event Planning. For more information contact: lakyns.events@gmail.com

#158 - Guest Post: Is the Social Media Business Really Booming?

2012-01-03T15:35:00.002-06:00

By Mary Parsons

LinkedIn launched in 2003, Facebook in 2004 and Twitter came on board in 2006. These three social networks, although not the only forums in today’s cyber-world, are part of an epidemic change in corporate communications.

Initially created for our public enjoyment, the social networks have generated a new purpose in every work environment. It seems that just about all well-known companies have some social media presence. The good news is that companies are connecting with consumers on a more personal level than ever before.

While I am no expert on social media trends, I do know that they are affecting my personal life. As a graduating senior, all of my college professors have asked me about my LinkedIn profile. I can’t count how many times I have been warned to closely monitoring what I am posting on Facebook. Some of the positions I am currently applying for list an opening for a “Social Media Specialist.”

The more I hear about social media and business, the more I realize that this is not a science. It's part finesse, part customer service, part style and then, part science. As I approach the close of my college career, I want to encourage future students to study the concepts surrounding social media for business. This is big and it's only getting bigger.

Businesses are communicating with consumers and employees in very different ways and they continue to change rapidly. In order to succeed, today’s college grads do need to be more well-versed about social media techniques and tools. If we can actually harness social media’s power for the companies we plan to go to work for, then perhaps we can succeed in ways no one has imagined!

Have an opinion? Feel free to comment below.

About the author:

Mary Parsons is a senior at Murray
State University majoring in Organizational Communication and minoring in Public Relations. She plans to graduate in May 2012 and pursue a career in communications.

#157 - Guest Post: Changing the Music Industry One Click at a Time

2011-11-30T18:32:00.003-06:00

By Brittany Jeter

Music is an integral part of society. It’s the one language that transcends all barriers. In the last several years, however, it has become the subject of scandalous publicity. First, we had the Napster fiasco, and then came file-sharing software and musicians complaining about lack of revenue
and poor album sales.

For musicians to make money today, they have to hit the road as often as possible. Ticket sales and merchandise sales…these are what allow musicians to actually succeed financially. Don’t get me wrong. iTunes is a good thing, but it’s been overshadowed by file-sharing through Frostwire and Limewire, among others.

It is predicted that within 3-5 years the CD will be obsolete. That's why so many artists are turning to social media, with their pages on Facebook, profiles on Tumblr and millions of personal websites where they can sell or allow downloads of their art. These sites have become the more cost-effective means of selling music. And, at these sites, you don’t have to worry about paying graphic designers for cover designs or printing and producing CD copies.

It’s quite simple today to upload music. One click and there you have it. Your fans can download your music from their choice of sites. The money then goes either directly to the artist or to a third party who keeps tracks of it. In fact, more and more managers and artists are choosing to become part of an independent, rather than a major, label. They prefer the financial arrangements because they are much easier to track.

Look at the band, Foreigner, for example. Right now, it’s using this technique for VIP photos. The process uses a small card (about the size of an iTunes card) and on the back each purchaser gets a site address and code for downloading pictures. It’s more cost-effective in the long term.

Most artists today’s world are actually being “discovered” through social media. Reverb-nation is just one of the social sites for musicians and managers. By simply uploading a biography, contact information and an artist’s music, any manager looking for a potential new act may find gold. Yes, the act has to possess real talent but it’s the representative’s job to check out that live show. My point is that it all started with social media.

Social media has come a long way from just someplace to connect with old friends. It’s growing daily and it’s helping the music industry get back on its feet. I hope it brings it back to the top of its game.

If you’re a consumer of music, then this affects you, too. Do you feel that using social media is helping the music industry regain its once illustrious status? Please let us hear from you in the comments section below.

Brittany Jeter is a Senior Public Relations major in the Journalism & Mass Communications Department at Murray State University. Jeter is passionate about music, film, the arts and how social media affects the entertainment industry. She plans to graduate in spring 2013 and pursue a career in Music Business/Public Relations. For more information contact: bjeter1@murraystate.edu.

#156 - Guest Post: Social Media’s Impact on Real-World Reputations

2011-11-20T16:21:00.004-06:00

By Zach Peacock

Not everyone is a great communicator, but nearly everyone has a Facebook account. The question is, does every active user really know the implications of his/her online actions? I think not.

Within the last decade we’ve witnessed a revolution as the growth of social networks has transformed the once formal practice of writing into a free-for-all, giving anyone with Internet access the chance to write - and to be read.

Think of it this way - it isn’t too tough to get a driver’s license but driving is the most dangerous thing we all do on a daily basis. Social-media is kind of like that. Now, anyone can plug into a network and start cruising. The problem with this is that most of the time, the un-enlightened are filling up our newsfeeds with arbitrary nonsense.

So,is the average person unaware that what he or she is saying, and the content they share, can actually do measureable damage to their real-world reputation?

Social networks are a valuable way to establish and maintain a personal brand. In other words, it is important to understand that the voice you create on social networks becomes an extension of you, reaching forth into a vast network of social communication space. People will cultivate an opinion of you based on what you say and what you share.

Here are some tips to help you avoid dissolving your real-world reputation:

· Take a moment to proof-read your status or tweet before you hit “submit.” Once you hit that button, you’ve just published content. Nothing screams lack of intellect or un-professional like misspelled words or incorrect punctuation. Seriously.

· Heavily opinionated content can offend (e.g., political or religious material). Don’t be surprised when someone disagrees with you and takes it upon him or herself to try and discredit or embarrass you.

· Try to inspire. Post insightful quotes or intriguing videos.

· Share what’s in your heart and on your mind, but only if it is useful or constructive. Forget the drama, gossip and anger, please.

· Photos are the most readily viewed content on Facebook; think of your albums as a catalog of all the people in your life. Be sure that photos on your profile are photos you really want to be seen.

· THINK about what you are posting. What is the purpose of this update, tweet or shared link? How will people perceive me after viewing it? Does it reinforce the personal brand I am working to establish for myself? What would my boss think if he/she saw this? What would Grandma think?

Your online persona matters. People accept and interpret what you post, tweet or share as a representation of your true self. After all, it is “what’s on your mind.”

Let’s try to be more careful out there people.

What measures are you taking to ensure that your personal brand isn’t tarnished by social misconduct? We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Zach Peacock is a Junior Public Relations major in the Journalism & Mass Communications Department at Murray State University (a fully accredited university in the Lakes region of West Kentucky). Peacock is passionate about humanitarian issues, music and effective communication. He hopes to graduate in the spring of 2012 and pursue a career in public relations. For more information, contact: zpeacock@murraystate.edu.

# 155 - GUEST BLOG: How Social Media Teaches Teams to Connect with Fans

2011-11-01T16:39:00.001-05:00

By DJ Irvine

Professional sports are part of American culture as well as most cultures worldwide. However, many fans are actually quite disconnected from their favorite teams. With the rise of social media, however, teams have a unique opportunity to bring fans closer to them – for real.

Traditionally, teams have used their own websites to publish previews, provide scoring updates and recap games. Now, with Twitter, Facebook and YouTube being so user-friendly for organizations, any team can bring more value to the fan experience. Teams today can upload exclusive video content on YouTube and then disseminate it via blogs, websites, links, photos and video via Facebook, Twitter and the rest.

Huddle up, sports fans!

The effective use of social media by any professional sports team allows its fans to feel more connected, and provides an authentic chance to enhance two-way communication between managers, owners, players and fans. Simply using hashtags to start conversation streams on Twitter, fans are already communicating with one another. Often, they don’t even know that the hashtags are created by social-savvy team officials and representatives.

Streaming real conversations allows fans to connect with one another, while also promoting the interests of their favorite teams among their friends, fans and followers.

YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts, pages and profiles are perfect for allowing fans to get real “behind the scenes” looks at their favorite players. During games, teams that utilize social media well are designating staffers to update via a variety of social channels. This is valuable if you’re a fan looking for an injury report or other details.

Let the Games Begin!

Social media allows for a richer type of fan engagement. Teams can post content including roster changes, practice updates and answers to specific fan questions. Fans are on social media, so why not bring them what they want from their favorite teams? It can only pay off in higher sales and merchandising, and may go a long way toward boosting ticket sales over the longer term.

On Oct 20 this year, the Colorado Avalanche (an NHL team) organized a charity event via Twitter. While the team played live against the Chicago Blackhawks, fans were encouraged to use the Twitter hashtag #GoAvsGo to converse. Each time the hashtag was used during the game (over two and half hours), one dollar was donated to cancer research. While total contributions have yet to be tallied time, thousands of users supported cancer research via this unique virtual event.

Endless possibilities
As sports marketers learn more about how to use social media, the more fans are likely to benefit. Already, we see team franchises experimenting with the new mediums. The more they can connect with fans, offers and promotions, the better.

Of course, only time will tell how social media will eventually shape the fan experience for professional sports. Do you have an example of a sports-related social site, scene or event you’ve enjoyed or want to share?

The comments section is still open. Please share!

DJ Irvine is a senior Public Relations major in the Journalism & Mass Communications Department at Murray State University (a fully accredited university in the beautiful lakes region of West Kentucky). Irvine is passionate about sports and cutting edge communications technologies. He plans to graduate in December 2012 and pursue a career in professional sports public relations. For more information, contact: david.irvine@murraystate.edu.

# 154 - Got fans? Now what? Is it time to take your Facebook page to the next level?

2011-09-09T21:20:00.002-05:00

Today, millions of businesses have established Facebook pages. But if you’re anything like two thirds of business owners, you’re wondering what comes next. Do you have an actual plan in place for growth?

In counseling small to medium-sized companies about fan base engagement, I hear a common refrain, “I have a good page, I think, but now I don’t really know what to do with it.”

If this describes your corporate Facebook page, then it may be time to start a formal Facebook Review. Do you need an affordable, professional critique to help you accomplish the four steps necessary to guaranteed long-term Facebook success?

A genuine Facebook Page Review will accomplish this!

1 – Figure out what you’re doing right. What is working now and has worked in the past? Gaining the perspective of a professional with an experienced eye for Facebook is crucial.

2 – Determine what can be improved upon. It’s easy to lapse into bad habits when you’re managing a myriad of social networking sites. You might stray from the path, cease to post regularly, or run out of time to respond to fans in a timely manner.

3 – Put an action plan on paper. The exercise of writing down the page’s goals and objectives, developing strategies and describing every possible tactic – in writing – actually helps to solidify a clear plan of action that can then be used by any Page Administrator over the long term.

4 – Revise, update and streamline the Page setup and settings. Facebook has implemented significant changes to pages and Facebook Insights since the beginning of the year, making the final step a critical one, especially for pages designed or populated before December of 2010. It may be time for the addition of custom Tabs, a Landing Page or Welcome screen, or a number of other graphic changes now available on your page.

Is it time for your Facebook Page Review?

ETC (EveryThingCreative) offers a professional Facebook review for a one-time fee of just $100. When you engage the service, your page receives a comprehensive critique, a report of all findings and a plan of action. We’ll tell you what you’re doing right and where you can improve. You’ll receive a clear Plan of Action, in

writing, and fresh, objective insight from an industry professional.

Choose the right consultant for the task

Consultants generally specialize in a particular area. At ETC, we specialize in all things Social Media-related. Elizabeth Thomas teaches and specializes in the development and implementation of effective Facebook pages. Since the birth of Facebook Pages, she’s been researching and experimenting with everything that actually works across all industries - financial services, local businesses, travel and leisure, tourist attractions, publishing and more.

Success on Facebook involves making a long-term commitment. More important, it also requires an investment of valuable human capital and time. Undertaking a simple and affordable Facebook Page Review today may help solve existing or impending problems or aid your research into future or alternative plans of action. In either case, a professional critique will bring new ideas for organization or community page, lessons you can learn from and grow with.

Give ETC a call at 270-227-9790 to discuss specifics and arrange a convenient time for your review and a free consultation.

Your fans are waiting!

#153 - 10 Ways to Use Facebook - the Way It Really Works!

2011-08-28T21:13:00.006-05:00

According to a recent report from Buddy Media, Facebook’s EdgeRank algorithm determines what shows up in users' News Feeds. In order to optimize your Facebook activity to get seen in News Feeds more often, which is obviously going to help with traffic, you’ve got to be diligent and creative.

The thousands of companies who follow the “Field of Dreams” (if you build it, they will come) theory of social media management have learned the hard way that this is merely a dream – it results in zero engagement and a very weak Fan Base.

Here are 10 tips proven to work:

1. Ask plenty of questions (it’s free consumer research)
2. Employ questions, trivia, drawings and contests.
3. Interact with your fans; let no comment/post go unnoticed!
4. Incorporate apps (use that question key, polls, DEALS and coupons).
5. Incorporate more photos and videos.
6. Talk about what’s in the news (relate to what people are talking about).
8. Imply a sense of urgency with time-sensitive material and well planned campaigns.
9. Include links in every status update – so your fans can hit that “share” button!
10. Be explicit in your updates (generic and general get you nowhere).

It's your Fans' page - not yours
By applying yourself and investing in the human capital necessary to create and maintain a robust Facebook presence, you’ll find that just like America’s top brands you can generate more business and engagement by using your corporate Facebook page wisely.

Enjoy your Social Media Life!

Socially Yours,
Elizabeth

#152 - Facebook Apps, Games & Websites: Choose Your Privacy Settings Wisely

2011-08-15T16:05:00.006-05:00

When you create a Facebook account, your name, profile picture, gender and networks become visible to the world, not just through Facebook, but also via other people using search engines. By default, Facebook Apps can - and do - automatically access your friend's list and any information you have chosen to share.

Fortunately, the power of privacy rests in your hands. You can change what you share through Facebook apps by changing your settings. You are in control, but you have to know how and where to change the settings in your account. Advertisers and marketers are counting on the fact that most people won’t look too hard into their account settings. Here’s your quick guide to doing what you can to protect your personal information and all your Facebook activity – and your friends.

To get started, look to the upper right corner of your Wall and click Account, then choose Privacy Settings. You can change the specific access in each of these areas:

Sharing on Facebook

This section controls who can see the content you post on a day-to-day basis (status updates, photos and videos). It also includes a few things you share about yourself (birthday and contact information) and content that others may be sharing about you (comments on posts and photos you've been tagged in). You can set these with one click, and your settings will apply to all the day-to-day content you post in the future. "Customize settings" displays a full list. Remember, you control the privacy level for each setting.

Connecting on Facebook

Your name, profile picture, gender, networks and username are available to everyone because this info is essential to helping everyone to connect with friends and family.

Name and profile picture help friends recognize you.
Gender helps Facebook to describe you (for example, "Add her as a friend").
Networks are open to everyone so network members can see exactly who they will be sharing information with before they choose "Friends and Networks" on any privacy settings.

Other information in this section, including hometown, activities and experiences, is open to everyone by default to help foster connections.

Apps and Websites

This section controls what information is shared with websites and apps, including search engines. Any apps, game or websites you are already using has access to your name, profile picture, gender, networks, friend list, user ID, username, and any information you have set to share with “everyone.” You can view all of your apps here and remove those you are not actually using. Are you really playing Farmville or Mafia Wars anymore? Or, and this is a good choice for some, you may turn off the apps platform completely here. Turning off the platform means that you won't be able to use any apps or websites on Facebook and the network won't share any of your information with any app maker. This is important to know.

Block Lists

This section lets you block people from interacting with you or seeing your information on Facebook. You can also specify friends you want to ignore app invites from, and see a list of the specific apps that you've blocked from accessing your information and from contacting you.

Additional Controls

Recommended settings

A group of recommended settings are offered by Facebook as a default. Think of "Everyone," "Friends of Friends" and "Friends Only" as buckets containing different groups of information. With the recommended settings, your information is distributed across all three of the buckets. "Everyone" contains status updates and information that people may want to share with larger audiences. "Friends of Friends" includes photos and videos of you, which are often relevant to the friends of your actual friends. "Friends Only" includes your contact information and anything that is only relevant to people you interact with directly.

Control each time you post

You control who sees your Facebook posts. Before you post a status update or link, click the “lock” icon to choose who can see it. Anything you select will override your "Posts by me" setting, or the default setting.

Control with apps

Apps can only see information you've already made visible to the world. To access more of your info, any app must first ask for your permission for each piece of information. The rules for the outside companies that operate apps is that anything they request of you can only be information they need on order to make that app work.

Control what you're “tagged” in

You control who can see photos or videos you've been tagged in or that appear on your profile. Keep in mind, the owner of a photo can still share that photo with other people. If you don't want your tag to appear, remove it from the original photo or video. This will effectively prevent it from appearing on your profile.

Advertising and Your Privacy

Facebook never shares your personal information with its advertisers. Facebook's ad targeting is done entirely anonymously. If advertisers select demographic targeting for their ads, Facebook automatically matches those ads to the appropriate audience. Advertisers only receive anonymous data reports.

To make ads more relevant for you and your friends, Facebook includes social engagement features, such as the Like button, and provides social context, such as “Your friend so and so likes xyz corporation.”

When you click “Like” on a company‘s Facebook page, ad or product likeness:

You create a connection to that company and you‘ll likely begin receiving updates in your News Feed.
The story of this connection will appear on your Wall.
Your friends may also see the story of your liking the company in their News Feeds. (You can always review and manage your likes, activities and connections by editing your profile.)

If you like a company and that company runs a Facebook ad, Facebook may pair your name and profile picture with the ad when it appears on your friends’ News Feeds. This social context is what makes ad relevant to specific individuals.

Information available to everyone: Information you've shared with everyone - as well as your name, profile picture, gender, networks, and username - maybe viewed by anyone on the Internet. It’s crucial to be aware that your information is visible to anyone viewing your profile, and the apps and websites you and your friends use can access this info, too.

Social plugins: Buttons and boxes containing Facebook content may appear on other websites. If you visit these sites, they DO NOT receive any of your information. The content in social plugins comes directly from Facebook. If you click "Like" or make a comment using a social plugin, your activity will be published on Facebook and shown to any Facebook friends who see the plugins on the same site. The things you like may also appear on your profile (however, you can control this in your Basic Directory Information).

Instant personalization: Some select partner sites may access your Facebook information, but only that which is already visible to everyone. You can turn off instant personalization for specific sites or you can turn it off completely from the Apps and Websites page. This prevents Facebook select partners from receiving your information through instant personalization, including whatever you’ve made visible to everyone.

Search: "Public search" on the Apps and Websites page controls whether people who enter your name in a search engine will see a preview of your Facebook profile. It also controls whether things you've specifically chosen to share with everyone will show up in searches.

Protection for minors: Facebook is diligent about protecting minors. Until a youngster reaches 18, minors don't have public search listings created for them, and the visibility of their information is limited to friends of friends and networks, even if they've chosen to make it available to everyone. This does not apply to their names, profile pictures, genders, networks and usernames, which are visible so friends can recognize them.

All source material for this article comes from Facebook's privacy settings, Help Center and published Terms of Service.

#151 - 10 Reasons You Need a Great Website...Right Now!

2011-08-07T22:50:00.006-05:00

Whether you are a car dealer, architect, doctor, consultant, farmer or home builder, whatever business you're in, you simply cannot be effective in the digital age without a great website. Here’s what an effective, professionally crafted website really means to your bottom line:

1. Saving money on advertising.
2. Making money via an on-line store or order placement site.
3. Enjoying easy access to change your content.
4. Saving money on postage.
5. Gaining exposure to new local and global prospects.
6. Having a professional, relevant image in today’s marketplace.
7. Saving time (by providing information your prospects need).
8. Automating business.
9. Providing better customer service.
10. Tracking potential customers and all results from online advertising.

10 Reasons ETC Should Design Your Site

1. Free consultation to discuss your online needs.
2. Your website up and running within 20 days.
3. A professional team that speaks plain English, NOT just technical jargon.
4. A site that is professionally designed, not cheesy or amateurish.
5. Free images.
6. Access to the resources you need and the expertise of seasoned professionals.
7. FREE updates for 30 days while you refine your image and the overall site.
8. Access to website statistics.
9. Email set-up and access so you can generate email lists from your site.
10. FREE Planning and implementation.

BONUS - FREE Submission to the top 5 Search Engines
Have you recently started your own company or consultancy? ETC offers expert design services ranging from $500 - $3,500, depending upon complexity, hosting and maintenance requirements. Call us at 270-227-9790 when you’re ready to engage a true business partner who has your budget and your best interests at heart!

# 150 - What’s the buzz? How to build a word-of-mouth campaign

2011-08-03T22:00:00.005-05:00

Word-of-mouth advertising is still the very best kind of advertising. Marketers have known this for decades, but social media has created so many new ways to get people talking – or buzzing – about products and services that they often scramble to keep up. Buzz is simply defined as any person-to-person conversation about someone or something. Producing a great product is the first, best way to generate positive “buzz,” but even happy customers forget about products over time. Starting the conversation rolling or re-rolling again often requires a trigger – an event, item or idea – to get people talking.

Experience-based versus secondhand buzz
There is a big difference between the kind of buzz people get from someone who owns or uses a product and the kind they get secondhand, from someone who has “heard” something about the product. This is not to say that you can’t get great buzz secondhand. However, as much as 30% of negative word of mouth is generated by people who have never used the product or service. It’s this “he said, she said” that most often carries serious negative consequences. It also affords opportunities to marketers who are quick to respond and who really “listen” to the buzz they generate.

Buzz is being spread in new ways

Big brands, like Purina, Ford, WholeFoods, Comcast, IBM, Dell, Southwest Airlines and many others have established a strong presence on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook where consumers are spending more and more of their time. In fact, Facebook’s membership just passed the 350 million mark (that's nearly the population of the US) and Twitter is closing in on 18 million users by the end of this year. That's a huge number of potential customers talking about items they use and brands they love - every day.

According to a recent Reuters article, even Hollywood is increasingly relying on Twitter and Facebook to gauge the popular buzz for movies before they come out. This change reflects the power of average filmgoers over the once-mighty film critics. Studio execs are starting to track the instant reactions of ordinary people to their new offerings. Several companies have sprung up to provide tools that monitor and analyze the buzz on social networking sites. Buzz for them equals the amount of chatter or interest in a movie, which can help drive box office sales.

In the past, studios relied heavily on focus groups, audience surveys and reviews by film critics to anticipate how a film would fare at the box office. Recent activity has underscored the influence of online word-of-mouth in a world where one Twitter comment can help make or break a movie.
Neilson Online Digital Strategies is one of the companies making the most of buzz. Executives there say the writing is on the wall for films quicker than before. If they know a film won’t do well, they may decide not to spend the entire marketing budget. Sometimes, the studio saves its marketing dollars for the DVD, simply based on Twitter and Facebook buzz reports.

Online buzz drove the film "Paranormal Activity" to a $7.9 million box office in the U.S. and Canada earlier this year, setting a record for a movie playing in less than 200 theaters. The low budget horror flick got on its way to wider release thanks to a buzz campaign.

Most commentary about products (approximately 74%) is still spread the old-fashioned way – through person-to-person, face-to-face communication. All the current attention to buzz marketing may seem like overkill, but savvy marketers know that new media and technology have changed the marketing playing field. Product managers can no longer afford to ignore negative online reviews of products or the angry tirades of bloggers who have had a bad experience.

As we entered this new millennium, several companies began to develop tools to analyze online buzz, even though only about 10 percent of buzz was actually happening online. Companies like Cymfony, MotiveQuest, Neilsen Online and BuzzMetrics were quick to create the initial software. They searched the internet for keywords about brands and analyzed the conversation surrounding the material. Soon, they found that measuring online buzz helps with sales forecasting.

Listening with our eyes

Proctor & Gamble’s Tremor Division offers a number of lessons. The main idea: Listen, listen and then listen (to your customers) some more. The most important part of buzz marketing is dealing with social networks - it is not about us. It’s about them. We shouldn’t just listen twice as much as we talk (or "post"), we should listen 10 times as much.

A clever buzz marketer is also an investigator, finding out what people are concerned about, what information and solutions they are looking for, and what products they are talking about. Then, he or she can tailor online communities, conversations and promotions to get vocal consumers talking. Listening to the current buzz is likely to provide companies with valuable insights into what they are doing right and wrong, where they should be headed and what the market wants.
Within any social network there is a certain degree of “homophily,” which means that similar people are attracted to each other. It’s the same in marketing. Certain products and services are attractive to people who find similarities in the product itself or the way it is marketed.

While a product may be accepted within one group of people, it may be equally rejected by another - despite sharing a close relation. Once a product enters a “cluster,” information about that product moves smoothly from person-to-person. Then, a numbing effect often sets in. No one within the cluster feels the need to talk about that particular subject with anyone outside.

Accelerating Buzz

People love to talk. The key to spreading buzz is very often finding links between a variety of different networks. If a company can disperse buzz across diverse groups, it may generate enough momentum that it gains virility, and with some luck, takes on a life of its own. In most social networks, each person has an individual voice and a sphere of influence. Sending a message or sparking buzz with enough different networks can give a product, company or brand a voice. The key to buzz marketing is finding a way into these social networks and stimulating the communications contagion. Sometimes, it takes a giant push from the marketing team to get the buzz going.

Pushing the Envelope

Marketing is about getting attention and anything that’s new, different or innovative has a good chance of gaining some. Problems arise when that fresh idea crosses a line outside of what most community members consider acceptable. The problem is simple: the more people there are in a community, the more opinions there are about whether a line has been crossed or not. The best way for companies to avoid this trouble is by steering clear of “undercover” or stealth marketing. When consumers find out that advice or information they are receiving is secretly aimed at selling them something, they find the practice offensive.

When marketers try to predict future success based on buzz it is crucial to measure the dispersion of the message. If buzz comes from only one cluster, then chances are the product didn’t attract as many people as the marketers thought. It is important to keep in mind that word-of-mouth can spread at different speeds. A good tactic is to attract multiple clusters by “seeding.” This means giving the product to people in different clusters in order to stimulate a discussion that spreads throughout networks.

Participation is all-important

Another key is encouraging participation. Inviting consumers to participate in the process of creating a product or pre-testing it creates a sense of empowerment. People who are directly involved with a product are more likely to talk about it. Such interaction between the company and customers keeps people involved and leads to better products more people hear about.

Buzz requires constant fuel. Sneak previews are a good method for keeping up interest. Information revealed must not be common knowledge, however. People buzz about things they suspect others don’t know; they want to be the only ones with the information so that sharing it makes them feel special.

Mass media advertising still matters

Mass media substitutes such as internet television and the increasingly-popular DVR (digital video recorder) allow users to watch their favorite programming, commercial-free. Although this poses a larger problem for advertisers, product placement is increasing in an effort to keep mass media advertising profitable and a still worthwhile venture.

A good advertisement can stimulate buzz in several ways. First, it can provide a jump-start as in the case of the new Microsoft OS (operating system), Windows 7. Advertisements also generate buzz when they become reference points for consumers. The Keller Fay group found that 21 percent of product-oriented conversations used a product’s advertisement as a type of validation to their statements such as “I saw it in a commercial.”

Four rules for incorporating buzz

1. Keep it simple: Advertisements such as DeBeers “Diamonds are Forever” are effective because they use a simple approach.

2. Tell us what’s new: Customers are not likely to pass on information that sounds cliché. In order to separate themselves from these kinds of ads, marketers need to let the customer know what’s different.

3. Don’t make unsupported claims: Honesty is the best policy when it comes to advertising. Companies don’t want to lose credibility. In fact, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has recently settled a claim against the makers of Airborne, a tablet marketed as a cold prevention and treatment remedy. The makers of the drug now owe the FTC $30 million for not having enough evidence to support claims.

4. Ask people to state what is special about the product: If customers can’t differentiate the product from its competitors, they won’t be able to buzz about it.

What’s the Buzz?

To ensure that a product, brand or company can generate and monitor the elements of buzz, just consider this series of simple questions. 1) Do you have the right product? 2) Does it enhance the lives of the people who use it? 3) Are there opportunities to create a “Wow” effect? 4) Is the product visible and can it be made more so? 5) Is something new being offered? 6) And, is the product ready?

Generating buzz means employing the right approach. It also means listening to the buzz that already exists by talking to consumers, identifying network hubs, and considering the many possible techniques for building effective buzz. The more people a company can engage in conversation, the more effective the effort. Advertising campaigns can also build buzz, and resellers can play a major role in spreading the word about products and campaigns. Since buzz is all about newness, maintaining it presents the greatest challenge.

With proper planning, the right product and a dash of genius, it is possible to put a product into more minds, more conversations and more purchases.

#149 - 10 Ways to Get Your Facebook Content "Liked" More

2011-05-26T13:03:00.004-05:00

According to a new report from Buddy Media, Facebook’s EdgeRank algorithm determines what shows up in users' News Feeds. In order to optimize your Facebook activity to get seen in News Feeds more often, which is obviously going to help with traffic, you’ve got to be diligent and creative.

The thousands of companies who follow the “Field of Dreams” (if you build it, they will come) theory of social media management are learning the hard way that it is merely a dream – a dream that will result in zero engagement and weaken the fan base.

Here are 10 tips that are already proven. By applying yourself and investing in the human capital necessary to create and maintain a robust Facebook presence, you’ll find that just like America’s top 10 brands, you too, can generate more traffic, more business and greater engagement through your Facebook page interactions.

Ask plenty of questions (it’s free consumer research)
Employ trivia, games and contests
Interact with your fans; let no comment/post go unnoticed!
Incorporate apps and applets (use the question key, polls or coupons)
Incorporate more photos
Talk about what’s in the news (relate to what people are talking about everywhere)
Post videos, if applicable
Imply a sense of urgency with time-sensitive material or campaigns
Include a link within each status update – so fans can hit “share”
Be explicit in every post (generic and general get you nowhere)

#148 - Nine Things Your Business Must Learn About Social Media

2011-04-12T21:43:00.003-05:00

Be Less Like a Brand and More Like a Human

Social media has walked the fiery coals of skepticism and performed brilliantly as a marketing, customer service and relationship building tool that exceeds all expectations.

Every size business has taken the polar bear plunge into what surely felt like an alien way of communicating with customers. When those businesses began using Facebook pages, forums, blogging, Twitter and YouTube, they realized that being less like a brand and more human creates real, long-lasting relationships - with customers.

A few things the first social media explorers taught us:

Social Media Isn't Free: It costs time - lots of time. If you have someone customer focused, who understands how to write and reaches out to the right audience, then grab hold and don't let them go! You are starting out right.

Be Creative: Social media isn't "promotional" media. Be social don't "do" social. Have fun engaging with your audience. Congratulate them on their successes. Comment on their blogs and pages. Attending online events with them.

Have a Team: This isn't a one-man band. Just as with all customer service, everyone needs to be trained and have at least a basic understanding of how to help potential customers.

Start with Your Staff: The people who know how to talk about your product, service, company and culture are your employees. Treat them like family; acknowledge and support them. Make them feel as though they are an important part of your business - because they are! Employees are the first to share with their own networks about their experiences with your company or brand. Think about that.

Listen First: Enough with the megaphone shouting out your message. Start spending some time just listening to the people who know your company. Reach out and connect with them as people, and as customers, employees and fans. Tell them that they are the center of the conversation.

Fans and Customers Turn into Advocates: Anyone who feels appreciated becomes loyal, and excited to help. That's what you want on the social networks - people who are eager to be your brand evangelists - at no charge.

Consistency Matters: Have your webmaster create a custom landing page or Twitter background that matches your website. Get a Facebook logo that fits your printed materiasl. These are little things that a designer can do that enrich your presence and make all the difference.

Connect Online and in the Real World: Find ways to connect offline; host an event and share your experience with your social networks.

Seek Guidance: Look for someone who understands the tools and language, who has experience and a passion for working in social media. Get help with a written content strategy and you'll ensure that you find an audience.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Thomas at: ETC, llc, A Social Media Consultancy, 270-809-5441.

#147 - 10 Facebook Pages Actually Worth “Liking”

2010-12-30T11:01:00.023-06:00

Have you noticed the dramatic increase in the number of “suggestions” you're receiving from Facebook friends asking you to “like” various company, brand or business pages? The vast majority of companies have, unfortunately, “leaped before they looked” onto this enormous Facebook bandwagon. Social networks are all the rage, but most business pages don't make the grade - yet.

Why click the “like” button?
If you’re wondering why you should click that “like” button, you are not alone. After all, what’s in it for you? Are you giving away too much precious personal information? Not really. The actual problem with pages is simply a lack of understanding by companies and page administrators, leading to too much promotion, too much hype and not enough real social engagement.

Keep in mind that Facebook is about real people talking to real people and that goes for pages, too.

The “like this page” phenomenon has many wondering just what makes a Facebook page good or meaningful. At first blush, it may appear that many pages are designed simply to attract fans and then sell us products. However, that's not the genuine purpose Facebook intended for these pages.

Facebook actually enforces strict rules concerning just how “promotional” any company may be within its business pages. Many have been unceremoniously deleted by Facebook simply because administrators never bothered to read the Facebook terms of service.

…and then there are the truly worthwhile pages

Many pages are authentic, and beneficial to the consumer. They are designed to provide a social space in which we, the Facebook fans, can actually make a difference, learn something, grow or gain exclusives – deals and values available only to us Facebook fans.

The following 10 pages incorporate some pretty unique features. They have attracted millions of combined fans and are still growing. These are the companies worth applauding because it’s very tough to build a fan base in the current environment, especially when you consider that thousands of new pages are popping up on Facebook every hour.

Based on an extensive three-month-long search and the subsequent review of thousands of the top performing pages (according to Facebook Insights), here are 10 informative, helpful, fun or just plain worthwhile Facebook pages for your consideration.

Seriously, some pages are actually worth liking.

1 – News on Facebook – A surprisingly informative page that highlights news and media companies on Facebook, thus empowering news and media companies and enabling them to connect with people, distribute information quickly, and gain presence through a number of viral networks. This Page is run by a group of Facebook employees.
LINK: http://www.facebook.com/news

2 – Diamond Website Conversion – This “diamond in the rough” specializes in guiding young companies through the wilderness of the Web. They help companies turn website visitors into actual purchasers. What makes the Page special is that every new Facebook fan actually receives a FREE idea to improve his/her own business. To date, this powerhouse optimization team (Carl and Marty Diamond) has given away hundreds of actionable ideas to fans who are putting those ideas into action.

This dynamic duo shows no signs of stopping, but I recommend liking the page quickly before this small business becomes a conversion giant! Products: Conversion Rate Optimization, Landing Page Design and Testing, Website Redesign for Conversion, and Website Analytics Integration. LINK: http://www.facebook.com/DiamondWebsiteConversion

3 – Kirby Shih Tzu – A simple, smile-provoking page, ghost-authored by the adoptive mom of a 6-year-old Shih Tzu pup, named (you guessed it!) Kirby. This adorable pooch resides at the Calvert City Convalescent Center, a retirement home in West Kentucky where Kirby is an actual member of the staff. He shares daily adventures (and news about the facility) on this surprisingly popular Page. His following is growing quickly and with good reason. Who doesn’t need a smile every day?
Kirby’s fans are spreading far and wide as they receive daily glimpses into the “Kirbster’s” life and chores (tail wagging on demand and giving snuggles). Seriously, this little pooch keeps people smiling on and offline, as Chief Financial officer and Asst. Administrator Beverly McKinney works tirelessly in the background. Through her ghost writing, she encourages us all to be a little kinder to one another and ourselves.

Earlier this year, Kirby led a drive for donations that snagged a new soft-serve ice-cream machine for center residents. Brilliant, we say! Kirby swears this was a selfish act (he loves ice cream), but we call it one of the most ingenious uses of Facebook going. If you‘re having a bad day, visit Kirby Shih Tzu for a guaranteed smile.
LINK: http://www.facebook.com/news?v=wall#!/profile.php?id=100000894556097&v=info

4 – Smarter Comics – Reading is so important to our success in life (and our children’s). That’s why author/entrepreneur Franco Arda has started an intriguing new company. But reading takes time and time is scarce today, so Arda has developed a better way to consume great business books. It’s an entertaining, visual summary format; it’s the classic comic.
Summary comics of important business books offer a creative solution for people on the go who want to get smarter, save time, and have fun in the process. By combining the visual power of comics with text, readers save time and the brain is able to grasp ideas faster and retain them longer.
Now, as a Facebook fan, you can download a comic free simply by “liking” the page and clicking on the link under the Info Tab. This page is growing fast. The conversations and fascinating people who drop in to chat definitely make this page a standout. The Smarter Comics page presents the world with a new concept, very well-suited to social media. Oh, and only Facebook fans receive exclusive offers…bestselling authors sometimes stop by just to chime in on the conversation.
LINK: http://www.facebook.com/SmarterComics?v=app_6009294086&ref=ts

5 - The American Red Cross - This is where people mobilize to help their neighbors—across the street, across the country, and across the world—in the event of emergencies or natural disasters. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to half a million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Millions who “like” this Facebook page are finding it to be a beneficial resource, just ask the victims of 2010’s Haiti earthquake. The immediacy of communication and connection is so valuable during times of crisis.

Some four million people give blood annually—the gift of life—through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. And the Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from their families by military duty to stay connected. What’s not to “like?”
LINK: http://www.facebook.com/redcross

6 – Positively Positive – Coach John Wooden once famously said, “Never lie; never cheat; never steal. Don't whine; don't complain; don't make excuses.” You’ll find these and other great daily quotes, encouragement and good company at this Page. Its mission is to combine the energies of more than half a million positive people all pooling their collective wisdom and resources in support of one idea: Keep it positive. Bottom-line? We like that.
LINK: http://www.facebook.com/SmarterComics#!/positivelypositive.

7 – Target – More than 3 million people already “like” the Target Page with good reason – it’s meets a previously unmet consumer need. Target’s innovative use of Facebook’s navigation tabs adds value for fans and even allows them to give back. Just check out the “Give Joy” tab. This is where Target gives a little something while allowing consumers to do the same. Fans fill out the simple form to submit a “Gift of Joy Wish List” each week. Together, these fans are helping Target donate up to $50,000 to The Salvation Army – with no annoying Santa’s, bell ringers or red buckets – and no purchase necessary.
Another innovation is Target’s “Fit Finder” tab which saves fans time and frustration in finding the best possibly garment sizes. Fans can access the sizing solutions whether they want to shop at Target.com or at the local store. This is a great example of a major retailer doing Facebook right.
LINK: http://www.facebook.com/target?v=wall#!/target?v=app_11007063052\

8 – Forrester Research, Inc. – The page for the independent research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice to leaders in business and technology. Forrester works with professionals in 19 key roles at major companies providing proprietary research, customer insight, consulting, events, and peer-to-peer executive programs. For more than 26 years, Forrester has been making IT, marketing, and technology industry leaders successful. Forrester’s Facebook page is no less impressive than the company itself, supplying an endless stream of “must-read” articles, links and videos. This is one page every successful professional should “like” and fast.

Forrester focuses on the business implications of technological change. Uniquely, its research team guides marketing executives, business strategists, and IT professionals to create unified technology plans. Considering the continuing importance of technology in all our lives, the recommendation is an obvious choice.
LINK: http://www.facebook.com/forrester

9 – Ronald MacDonald House Charities – This charity has been working to improve the health and well being of children for over 40 years – touching over 4 million children worldwide every year. Families today are challenged with how to stay near and support hospitalized children. How does the average family afford to stay together in another city while a child undergoes treatment? Many do with the help of the Ronald MacDonald House Charities. It uses its resources to help families gain access to health care services during critical points in their children’s lives. By "liking" this page and joining the community, you're helping to give children (and their families) the support they need to heal faster and better.
LINK: http://www.facebook.com/#!/rmhcglobal

10 – Inbound Zombie – You know about Facebook, Twitter and blogging, but do you know how nonprofit organizations can use them effectively? Where to start and what strategies to use to effectively drive awareness and donations for nonprofits can be found at Inbound Zombies on Facebook. Are you part of a non-profit struggling to keep up in this economy? Are you wrestling with the latest social technologies? The real problem is that you no one can do it alone. Your community needs you to stand and fight for the cause it exists to benefit! The mission of this page is to slay all Internet zombies in the service of all non-profits.
LINK: http://www.facebook.com/#!/InboundZombie

Who do you LIKE?
Do you have a personal Facebook page favorite? This list of 10 is but a small sample of the many excellent pages that exist to benefit consumers. They link us to each other and the products, issues and causes we genuinely “like.”

Post a link to your favorite Facebook page in the comments section. I promise to review every submission, and suggest the great ones to my entire network!

#146 - Why Every Business Needs A Good Brand

2010-10-31T11:24:00.018-05:00

Regardless of the size of the company, its brand identity will be repeatedly communicated in multiple ways throughout the life of the business. Great brands do so with frequency and consistency. But it takes much more than a snappy logo to successfully brand a business, product or service. Successful branding isn't difficult. It begins with a commitment and one well-defined, relevant idea.

Five Key Elements

A strong brand is invaluable today as the battle for customers intensifies. It's important to spend time up front researching, defining, and building your brand. After all, it's the source of the promise you are making to your consumer. It's the foundational piece in your marketing communication plan and it's the one thing no company can afford to be without.

Unsure about where to start? Follow these five steps to establish a corporate brand. Think of the brand itself as a mantra that bears repeating. Plan to consistently execute the mantra. Consistent, cohesive use and repetition are central to the effectiveness of every branding strategy.

1 - Establish the Brand Position: The brand position is a clear written explanation of what the brand (or company) actually does and how. Once the proper "positioning" has been established, the marketing, advertising, social media and/or public relations plans will practically write themselves. Choose the positioning and you've begun the awareness-building process. Every strategic campaign flows from that single brand position. It becomes the brand's central message - one you can direct to the right target audiences.

2 - Make a Brand promise: The single most important thing an organization can do is make a promise about what it delivers to its customers. Every subsequent business decision should be weighed against this promise to ensure that it reflects the truth. Or, at the very least, the company must never contradict its core promise.

3 - Add Personality to Your Brand: What are the traits your brand (company) wants to be known for? Choose four or five specific personality traits (using simple descriptive adjectives) all corporate communications will use to describe the organization. Is your brand adventurous ... valuable ... affordable ... attainable... luxurious ... sexy ... fun ... exciting ... educational? Choose your words wisely. Make the commitment. Add several of these words to your "keywords."

4 - Write Your Brand Story: The story illustrates the organization's history, how the brand adds value to the marketplace, and it establishes brand credibility. Every subsequent publication, news release, online post or item in a communications packet or media kit should include credible statements taken directly from this "story." These should be used consistently and frequently across all departments, internally and externally (advertising, social media and PR).

5 - Associate Your Brand: Brand associations are the specific physical artifacts that make up a brand or corporate identity. They include but are not limited to: the name, logo, colors, taglines, collateral materials (brochure, letterhead, business cards, newsletters, websites) , photo and graphic imagery, and promotional items. Each item must consistently reflect the brand promise and ALL brand traits. By consistently conveying these in every corporate identifier, a brand is easily established.

Think carefully about the visual and audio clues which serve as constant everyday reminders being conveyed publicly. If your brand is positively associated, success naturally follows.

Simple branding can be the single biggest factor in marketing, reputation management, social media engagement and crisis communication. Without it, potential customers become confused, messages and opportunities are lost with each inconsistent reminder.

Think you don't need branding? Think again.
Consistency is everything in a world where the average citizen is bombarded on and offline by nearly 70,000 messages in a day. Sure, it's easy to falter "just this one time" because the staff is busy or someone mistakenly believed that a post or document would only be seen internally. It's such small missteps that have made hundreds of great brands irrelevant today.

Without a consistent look and feel to every single message, even the best branding strategy will lapse. Once that happens, no amount of money spent on advertising can repair the damage. In marketing and corporate communications, out of sight still means out of mind.

Branding is your identity in the marketplace. Does yours say what it should about you?

#145 - Let's clear up common word confusion

2010-08-21T11:10:00.008-05:00

English is a funny language. There are different words that mean the same thing, single words that have different meanings, and words that are highly prone to mispronunciation, such as "nook-you-ler" when it's really "nook-lee-er," and "Feb-you-erry" instead of "Feb-roo-erry."

Then there are the homonyms — words that sound alike, are often (mistakenly) used interchangeably, but don't mean the same thing. And when you use the wrong words online, in a business letter, an email, a status update or your homework assignment, you still look foolish. To really make things difficult, your spell-checker simply can't bail you out because it doesn't recognize these types of mistakes. The folks over at Pongo.com have put together some guidelines you might find useful.

Take a minute right now to review five often confusing word pairs, their meanings, and how to use them properly in everything you write. Just because mass communication is moving toward a quick-paced, casual writing style (commonly associated with social media) doesn't mean grammar, spelling, punctuation and syntax don't matter. They are as important as ever!

What you write and how you write within new mediums and business communication represents YOU - to the world, your colleagues and your friends. Remember, it never hurts to refresh your skills.

Affect vs. Effect

Definitions: Affect is primarily a verb, meaning "to act on" or "to impress the mind and feelings." Effect, on the other hand, is usually a noun that refers to a state of being effective.

Proper usage: "My actions affected department operations, leading to a 10% savings in the telecommunications budget."

"My actions had a positive effect on department operations, leading to a 10% savings in the telecommunications budget."

One notable exception: "Effect" can be used as a verb meaning "to bring about." For example: "My actions effected changes in departmental operations, leading to a 10% savings in the telecommunications budget."

Verses vs. Versus

Definitions: Verses is the plural form of verse, which refers to part of a written poem or song; versus (abbreviated as vs. or v.) is a Latin term meaning against or as compared to.

Proper usage: "We increased album revenue by composing extra verses for an award-winning single by an up-and-coming band."

"I led a task force that weighed the costs of traveling by air versus rail."

Discreet vs. Discrete

Definitions: They're both adjectives. Discreet means understated or confidential; discrete means individual, or detached from others. For instance, a company in the "discrete manufacturing" industry produces goods that are counted individually or identified by serial numbers. The goods are counted as distinct units rather than by weight or volume, such as processed foods or motor oil.

Proper usage: "We thoroughly and discreetly investigated the sexual harassment complaint."

"He has 10 years of senior executive experience in the discrete manufacturing industry."

Principle vs. Principal

Definitions: Principle is a noun referring to an accepted or professed rule or action (e.g., "sticking to your principles"). Principal can be an adjective or a noun, depending on how it's used. The adjective means first or highest in rank, while the noun refers to a head or leader (like a school principal), or the original sum of a loan.

Proper usage: "We are developing a set of ethical principles that all students will follow."

"As principal sales associate for the Northeast states, I generated a 20% increase in sales last year."

"The bank ensured that mortgage applicants' principals and incomes fell within standard lending limits."

Incite vs. Insight

Definitions: Incite is a verb that means to stir up or encourage, such as a riot. Insight is a noun that means a keen understanding, perception, or intuition.

Proper usage: "We hope to incite and direct lively, campus-wide discussions about how to improve overall student writing skills."

"The two years I spent studying abroad helped me develop new insight into how the global economy operates."

One tip: If you're a very perceptive individual, you're insightful. If you're inciteful, managers will want to stay away from you. ("Sure, I can be insightful! You should have seen the stuff I incited when I played hockey. I spent a lot of time in the penalty box.")

What word pairs tend to trip you up?

Source credit: Pongo.com

#144 - It's time to embrace social media for business - no more excuses!

2010-07-11T11:14:00.030-05:00

Have you heard enough from your colleagues, kids, friends and the "talking heads" about the importance of social networking? Are you finally realizing that Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Search advertising (and much more) are here to stay? It's time to stop fighting the inevitable change and learn how to use this new media to your advantage, regardless of your current status. Whether you are a college student, stay-at-home mom, business professional, consultant, freelancer, company owner or employee, you still need to understand these new communication technologies and how they affect our world.

And, you're not alone.

Armed with the right tools and information, anyone can master the basics of social media for business and professional purposes. Relax. Start celebrating the sea change. With the right attitude, your use of social media can become your best professional asset and a source of prosperity and personal growth.

Certainly, social networking and Internet marketing have changed the ways we communicate, even how we conduct marketing and public relations. However, many businesses and owners are just now beginning to see that the social media train is already packed and it's departing the station - without many people on it. The new grad, professional, or entrepreneur who doesn't jump at the chance to start learning the new media landscape is destined to lose touch with valuable consumer bases and necessary tools for life in the coming years.

If you plan on working or being in business a decade from now, you've simply got to start drinking the Kool-Aid now. If you're still reading, then you're already ahead of the game. You've taken those first steps toward embracing, harnessing, and ultimately, leveraging social media for personal and professional gain.

You can do this.

"All too often today, business owners are being lured in by what appears to be the simplicity of many social media sites. They jump in without any formal plan or strategy, never considering how or if this particular new media fits the company. Many flounder, start then stop, then start over with nothing. Or, they lose patience and simply give up too quickly which can do more harm than good for a brand."

Make no mistake - social media offers a variety of benefits for business owners, but it can also be an enormous time waster if it's not implemented with a specific strategy in place.

How to get started - successfully

Be realistic. Know who you're talking to and why. Put it down on paper. If you're an entrepreneur or consultant, this is simple. But if you are a player in a larger company, the person best suited to create, manage and monitor social media may not be you, your assistant, the marketing director or the CEO. Take a hard look at who within the organization is best qualified to speak directly to prospective and current customers about your services or products in clear, clean, simple language - as opposed to ''marketing speak."

Choose the right tool for the right job. Who makes up the audience you wish to engage with? What social media platforms do they use? To work well, social media requires participation, engagement, conversation and relationship-building. Visit the major sites - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, Squidoo, MySpace, FourSquare, related blogs, etc. Observe for yourself the types of content and activity in each venue and select no more than three to four sites or platforms that make sense for your audience (and your corporate culture).

Create a time line. Again, be realistic. As with anything new, you'll have to start slow and work social media into your existing routine. A simple way to move forward is by clocking off a set amount of time on the calendar, as much as an hour or as little as 10 minutes twice daily. Schedule and then dedicate this time to visiting social media sites and engaging in conversations. Just 15-30 minutes consistently is far better than blocking off a number of hours or days you may never actually have available. Next, establish this time as you would any healthy new habit...one day at a time, with commitment.
Give yourself permission to enjoy it. It genuinely helps to put your social media in its proper perspective. It's called "social" media for a reason. Think of a visit to your Facebook Page, responding to blog comments or reading your Twitter stream to be like attending a business networking event - like a cocktail hour - only this one never ends. It's "always on." Real social engagement works best when it's fun for everyone involved. Get to know the people behind the profiles and let others get to know you, your brand, the way your company works and cares. Talk to new people you enjoy conversing with. Share parts of your personality, and start new discussions with interesting people you actually want to know better. You'll be very surprised at how quickly you can build a following - and your business - but only if you plan first, listen second, and finally, engage consistently!

"The more things change, the more they stay the same"

We've all heard the familiar adage. The bottom line is that nothing has changed about the way people view or select companies, products, brands or services. Everything you know about marketing, PR, promotions, events and sales still holds true - on some level - but if you continue business as usual, with only the traditional communications tools, the fact is the competition will continue to surpass you. Many will become dinosaurs. Relax. Only the medium has changed - not the message.

Ask and you shall receive!

Fortunately, there's still plenty of time to learn what you need to know about these new communications channels and how they can work for you, your company, your career, even your personal life. Start asking questions. What do you want to know right now about getting your social media strategy or campaign started? Ask away. This is as good a place as any. Comment below and I will respond privately or in my next post with some solid input, source materials, direction and answers (based on experience and training). If I don't know the answer, I'll admit that, too. Then, I'll find someone who does.

Like so much information online, this resource is free - use it!

Are you wondering how to start a Facebook Page, Group, Event, or Cause? Confused by Facebook's "Community Pages?" Think Twitter is useless or wonder why anyone really needs a blog? The answers are here if you're only willing to ask. Just think, by engaging with the dreaded "social media," this blog, you can (proactively) find answers you need.

#143 - Google's Top Websites and What You Need to Know About Web 3.0

2010-05-30T14:08:00.023-05:00

Think you have a pretty fair idea of which websites are the most popular today? Google recently shared its list of the top 1,000 sites developed from measurements within the Ad Planner feature based on category, unique visitors, reach and page views.

Strangely, the list does not include any data from Google or YouTube, yet the clear (and predictable) winner is Facebook with 540 million users, over 570 billion pageviews, and approximately 35% of all measured web traffic. This makes Facebook the world’s number one website. Yahoo.com is in second place, followed by live.com, wikipedia.org and msn.com.

Google released the list to point its advertisers in the direction of sites they should advertise on. It’s interesting to note that two of the major sites in the top 10 don’t even offer advertising – wikipedia.org and mozilla.com.

With all the hype of real-time search right now, it seems peculiar that Twitter doesn't rank higher in the list. It currently sits in the 18th position with only 5.4 billion page views. (Poor Twitter). Click here to see the ranked list. Google plans to update the list monthly for its advertisers. The chance of any of these top performers dropping out anytime soon is slim.

The buzz about Web 3.0
Apparently, we are at the beginning of what our technology industries refer to as Web 3.0, or the next generation of Web 2.0. Neither of these can be defined in concise terms since they do not consist of definite products or services or even a broad spectrum with structured guidelines. Regardless, I'm going to give it a try.

"Our globe's mammoth data archive could become even
more open to analysis across various platforms, making
online services - and the professionals who
understand them - even more resourceful and valuable."

A little history
When it first launched, the World Wide Web was merely an interface to access data stored on computer terminals or servers. Web 2.0 (a term that has been hotly debated) came out of the economic "dot.com" bubble bursting. It was touted then as the re-birth of the Internet. However, it only served to add upon established underlying principles of the World Wide Web (eg: HTML as a base language for all users).

Web 2.0’s contribution to the World Wide Web has been a vast array of services which facilitate collaboration and sharing. Most notably, with the advent of social networking sites, blogs, audio/video posts, podcasts, wikis, IMs, etc. More importantly, it also saw the rise of a handful of powerful search engines with the ability to delve into the innermost recesses of any web page and extract relevant data.

But, there was one catch.

Even the most powerful search tools still need the thought processes of puny human being to guide them to those pages and load them with generous doses of keywords so they may come up with the intended results. On the other hand, Web 3.0 is expected to transfer these thought process directly to the search engine software’s Mode of Operation - or brain. So, Web 3.0's goal is to create a World Wide Web where all data is easily understandable by all machines - just as we humans presently understand it.

Is this the dawn of Intelligent Computing?

The techies call it "semantic computing," and many speak about how Web 3.0 will open up an astronomical amount of web data to intelligent analysis. This would also enable machines operating on and from different databases and platforms to successfully exchange information with one another. Greater automation is another long-sought benefit.

Web 3.0 is likely in your future

Web 3.0 is essentially the next step in the evolution of the World Wide Web from a mere depository of information on interconnected networks, to a faster, more intuitive and more productive way of experiencing the Internet. Now, we can look forward to a greater assortment of web services, possibly characterized by a degree of artificial intelligence. Our
globe's mammoth data archive could become even more open to analysis across various platforms, making online services - and the professionals who understand them - even more resourceful and valuable.

What does all this mean to the common web user? To marketers? Journalists? Public relations practitioners? It may mean less use of our own intellect for researching data and making decisions. Doe the thought excite or frighten?

In my case, a little bit of both. What about you?

#142 - Too many "cooks" in social media's kitchen

2010-04-26T12:28:00.020-05:00

Someone referred to me this morning as a social media guru. Yikes! Never fear, I was, of course, quick to correct them. I had to since I don't honestly believe there is such an animal. Of course, you try telling that to all the bloggers, Internet and Affiliate marketers, MLMers, and speakers calling themselves experts and gurus. The real truth is that we are all (technically) new to this burgeoning communications medium.

Let's get real. Honestly, there is no one right/wrong way to approach Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, location-based-advertising, SEO, blogging, or even social networking. When it comes to social media, we're all figuring it out as we go - by the seat of our pants for the most part. Certainly, a few professionals have achieved a certain "level of expertise" by using social media for commerce. And, those who are achieving real results right now may have the right to speak. But, to see so many legitimate "experts?" I think not. What works for one person, product or company will not...does not...necessarily work for the next.

Each page, profile, presence, audience, objective, product, person and company is uniquely unique.

Sure, you can find any number of pros who hold strong opinions about the "new" media and marketing (which is reminding me more and more of the "new math"). The so-called experts go on and on (as they sell and upsell their wares) about the mysterious techniques and systems but they never quite show or tell you how to actually use them for your company or product. In my opinion, the charlatans are (once again) making it tougher for genuine educators to help convey realistic lessons to those who are interested in moving forward.

Many of the so-called social media gurus have little real-world social media, public relations, or even marketing experience, although they do seem to be able to sell pure fluff as genius. I call it all virtually pointless.

Search for authentic teachers
Real world marketing and PR practitioners, media agencies and departments, groups of hard-working marketing directors, publicists, small business owners, and their key personnel need actual tools and the background knowledge to work effectively within social media, yet few are finding what they need in the overwhelming array of Webinars and conferences.

The best way to learn social media is through using it, and watching how those you admire are using it. You will need some basic instruction and a few guidelines going into the fray. There's no need to reinvent the wheel and you certainly should learn from the mistakes of those who went first.

There are a few of us who aspire only to help. We're not selling our latest book, e-book, download or white paper. So, before you hire that social media "expert," ask why he/she feels he has mastery over this topic - exactly. Request a discussion of track record - in detail. Find out what the results are based upon - what type of metrics, ROI, and what was the overall increase in sales or traffic?

As someone who creates and monitors social media for successful clients, who reads hundreds of blogs, and who participates regularly in online commentary, I am sick of hearing all the talk while so few can walk the walk. Most of the so-called "experts" are just parrotting back the same speeches from the same handful of seminars we've all attended by now - and many are mangling the message. I do see a few genuine thought leaders, pros who are showing and telling and guiding, explaining clearly which buttons to click next.

Don't fall prey to jargon
Where are the magic strategies we are teased with in all the Webinar sales pitches? I've attended 83 sessions in eight months. What I know, what I have truthfully learned and am now using, has came from personal exploration, experimentation, trial and error. Before I fully shoot myself in the foot here, let me disclaim that I call myself a Media Strategist, a trained professional who is assisting a number of companies with their strategic planning related to media - both social and traditional.

I can proudly say that I am no expert. I've been using all the tools and techniques, reading everything I could find, studying, and applying what I've learned for more than three years - with measured success. To some extent, so has every 25-year-old with a Facebook profile. I am the first to say that I won't be the right consultant for every industry or client. I approach potential new business with a long list of questions about what the company needs and wants to achieve before I even consider taking it on. I am a trainer/planner and I implement social media campaigns professionally. That's not the same as claiming to be someone with all the answers in a field that is changing and evolving on a daily basis.

The real question each business must ask right now is how does social media fit in terms of reaching organizational goals? Then, do they have the right guidelines in place to deal with all the internal issues? Do they have the resources necessary to focus on traditional advertising, PR, and marketing while also integrating a well-conceived social media plan?

Just staying current requires commitment
After 30 years working in mass communications, so much has changed in my chosen profession. Nothing, however, compares to the way it has changed in the last 3 years. I've met some admirable professionals in recent months, all of whom are under enormous pressure to deliver better results while spending less on advertising and marketing. Top brass is convinced that social media is the panacea to bolster recessionary sales while cutting the marketing budget in half. That's just wrong thinking.

There is far too little discussion of the reality that faces industry out here in the blogosphere. There is far too much self-aggrandizement with not enough context, and no real content.

The Reality of Social Media Marketing
Many people today lack understanding of social media's tools and channels. Just as soon as the world embraced MySpace, Facebook came along. Then, well,Twitter came along, and so on and so on. The number one problem for communications professionals is time - finding time to learn, time to plan, time to implement, and time to monitor. There is serious confusion about how to balance the workload and resources. Many struggle just to figure out where social media fits in with existing campaigns, plans and activities.

Have I taken too much precious time here already? Quickly, in a nutshell, consider a few more points as you contemplate where social media may fit in your plans:

Ask yourself:
1) What is the ultimate marketing goal?

2) What are the objectives which will lead you toward that goal?

3) What is your strategy for achieving the objectives?

Your answers will give you a starting point. As any marketing "expert" can readily attest, this was the starting point long before social media was a blip on the radar. So, as much as everything has seemingly changed, that's exactly how much sound marketing principles can continue to guide your efforts. Remember, social media isn't really about the technology; it's about what you can do with it. It's about you and it's about the audience.

Grow slowly, grow surely
Integrate social media tools and programs with traditional marketing and PR. It should not be an isolated or one off activity. If you’re working with a large company, make sure that your social media efforts and properties are in line with each other and integrated with other efforts already in place at your company.

Take baby steps – You don’t need to launch your web page, blog, Twitter feed, LinkedIn and Facebook Pages all at the same time. Set some goals, measure the initial results and then experiment.
Less may be more – All too often every division, department and group wants its own Page or Twitter feed. Sometimes this makes sense, but more often it does not. Don’t get stuck with too many under-performing online properties while you could be focusing your efforts and resources on a smaller and more effective number.
Social media isn’t free – This is a fallacy unless you have unlimited access to free human capital. Labor costs. Labor requires resources. In order to gain a following, you also need to leverage advertising in social media to drive traffic. If you build it, they will not necessarily come!
You are going to lose control – Control is a sticky wicket. Sometimes, you'll be stymied by the mere legal implications of working with your social media audience as co-publishers. Can you even post photos or videos without proper release forms? Everybody else seems to be doing it. (No. They are not.) Total control may well go out the window, but the reality is that the people are already out there discussing your brand or product online. You can choose to monitor and join in, or you can hide your head in the sand. Begin the journey in a controlled manner, employing sensible policies, and test as you go.
Social media is not easy, nor is it a waste of time – Building a successful social media program takes time, manpower and commitment. That’s the truth. Social media is subject to the same issues which faced traditional marketing, so treat it as you would any other marketing tool.
If you can't do it well now, work on it – Social media can help you tell stories in new and usually more engaging ways. You may be able to re-use content elements already in your marketing mix, but you may also need to think outside the box when considering what "content" means and is nowadays. If your material or post is not of interest to the audience, you may be spinning your wheels.

I'm sure you're just happy that I didn't have a strong opinion on this particular topic. (Wink, wink.) Hopefully, this post provides social media "food for thought." Perhaps you'll plant the seeds of your own social media campaign - personal or professional. The initial questions and the planning stages will be similar for both.

Do you agree or disagree with this take on social media "experts." I'd love to hear any opposing view.

#141 - Finally, Twitter's "Big Plan" is revealed

2010-04-09T13:58:00.011-05:00

Surely you've heard the big news...just prior to Twitter's annual conference (Chirp) kick-off this week, the social media mini-blogging king commenced sales of what it has dubbed, Sponsored Tweets (or ads as I call them), in a business model nearly six years in the making.

I first caught the news at Digg.com and went in search of details on what this means to advertisers and Twitter users. I found the graphic above (provided by Twitter) at Mashable.

Twitter co-founder, Biz Stone has been interviewed ad nauseum this week, both on and off-line. In an interview with PCMag.com's Chloe Albanesius, he said, "We strongly believe that Promoted Tweets should be useful to you. Promoted Tweets will be clearly labeled as 'promoted' when an advertiser is paying, but in every other respect they will first exist as regular Tweets and will be organically sent to the timelines of those who follow a brand."

Are you really following brands on Twitter or did you (like many) think you were there to connect with people - your friends - and network within your industry? I'm actually curious.

As a service, Sponsored Tweets has been labeled "simple," and that it is. Its brilliantly timed launch came with all the major partners locked in - Best Buy, Bravo, Red Bull, Sony Pictures, Starbucks, and Virgin America. These companies' ads already appear as tweets atop search results that relate to their products. I'm betting this will work out very well for early advertisers. Those who rush to embrace it will benefit from the added traffic as everyone checks out the new format.

While many details are still forthcoming (like how much these ads will cost smaller companies), Twitter users can now find sponsored tweets in the standard stream, where presumably, a Starbucks ad should appear if you search for coffee, and a Sony Pictures tweet should show up if you search for the latest film release.

But here's the rub...according to Twitter's co-founders, if users don't respond to the newly Promoted Tweets (by re-tweeting, favoriting, or replying to them), the sponsored tweets will be pulled from search results. "What? My ad was what?" (I can just imagine the client calls to their social media reps.) This presents an interesting and quite unique dilemma. If a sponsored tweet fails to generate results, does the advertiser pay? Who is ultimately responsible for the failure and who determines how much time a campaign is given to succeed? You know I'll be following this story closely as it unfolds.

Only one promoted tweet is planned for display per each search results page, reportedly to protect us from overuse of this new advertising channel. That means twitter can charge a premium on a finite supply of ad space. (Very smart!)

What do you think? Are you ready for advertising on Twitter? Are you at all put off by the appearance of sponsored tweets in the tweet stream? Most of the social media pundits I've read seem to agree that it's time Twitter found some way to capitalize on its popularity, and Sponsored Tweets is merely the lesser of all the "evils" or options available.

Of course, like anything in the brave new world of social media, time will tell. Let's take a quick poll to start things rolling. Are you OK with sponsored tweets, or, would you much rather Twitter choose anther path to profit? please share in the comments section below.

For more information, check this out:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2362555,00.asp

#140 - Why students often make the best teachers

2010-03-29T10:15:00.009-05:00

Writing is hard work. Blogging is no exception. Blogging, however, also involves something more. In addition to all the planning, research, execution, and editing, blogging requires "personality."

If you want to be a better blogger, you must infuse each post with a little bit of yourself. Quirks and eccentricities can serve to give your blog the personality it needs, or they can overshadow the writing. It's really about striking the proper balance. Do check out Chris Birk's new article at Copyblogger: How I Became A Better Writer Thanks to Distracted, Hungover College Kids. You'll love the reasoning behind that headline!

This is a post every writer or writing instructor should read. In it, Chris really opened my eyes to the wealth of information I learned from students over the past few months. It's true, my recent three-week adventure in teaching (writing for public relations) simply primed me to receive Chris' words of wisdom. Rest assured, the link above contains some pertinent wisdom for every writer. I could relate my own take on brevity, clarity and content, but I prefer to send you straight to this excellent source.

Pay special attention to the section on Economy of Language.

I know I related to the views expressed in this Copyblogger post...and anyone striving to be a better writer, reporter, or blogger should as well.

You may or may not have noticed by brief absence from the blogosphere for the past month. I took a well deserved break after posting for 130 consecutive days, and I'm back. Starting this week, I plan to start sharing snippets from each of my training workshops on Blogging and RSS, Facebook for Beginners, and the increasingly popular, Twitter Bootcamp. Rest assured, I was busy preparing a wealth of educational copy about social media. next, I'll be sharing it here - in bite sized portions.

Feel free to leave comments below and your social media questions so we can address them in the upcoming posts.

It's all about our Social Media Life!

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#139 - The Two Sentence Rule

2010-02-25T17:40:00.016-06:00

I just have to share a gem I discovered in my daily perusal of publications, news sites, blogs and social networks today. When a good thing jumps out at you, the best thing you can do to honor its creator and your friends and followers is to repeat or resend a link to it. This one is so good it rates me doing both.

It comes from a "Tip" link within Seth Godin's stellar blog. Seth is one of the world's most successful bloggers (and a personal hero of mine). His blogs have taught me a great deal about social media, blogging and good business over the last two years, but this time management tip is sheer brilliance. So, here I go repeating it - plus sharing the link to today's complete Godin post (gosh, I hope he doesn't mind)!

Seth Godin's Two-Sentence Rule: (http://two.sentenc.es/)

The Problem

E-mail takes too long to respond to, resulting in continuous inbox overflow for those who receive a lot of it.

The Solution

Treat all email responses like SMS text messages, using a set number of letters per response. Since it’s too hard to count letters, we count sentences instead.

two.sentenc.es is a personal policy that all email responses regardless of recipient or subject will be two sentences or less. It’s that simple.

To see Seth's complete post including this time management tip, just click here - Seth Godin's Blog.

Tune in next month for another lesson relating to your Social Media Life.

Note: I will be taking a well-deserved break until April 1, after exceeding my goal and blogging for more than 130 consecutive days. the experiment has indeed been a success, but my fingers are sooo tired!

#138 - We are the pioneers of our time

2010-02-21T13:17:00.018-06:00

When it comes to social networking, we are all pioneers. It's true. And believe me, we've only touched the tip of this iceberg. That's why It is important to always keep in mind that we are in this together; that we are all connected and that we are each of equal value (there's a life lesson there, too).

The shift begins when school ends
Something interesting happens to all of us when we first enter the work force. Until we begin that first step in our career path, our networks are constantly growing and expanding. We continually meet new people with each new class, each school, and at each new social gathering. But this trend begins to diminish quickly when we enter the work force and grow older. Many of us simply do not invest the time to keep in touch with old classmates, neighborhood friends and distant relatives. We begin to lose contact. This is critical. That lack of contact is no longer healthy given the Web 2.0 world we all live and work in.

Some of us go to work for smaller companies or in occupations that do not allow us to interact with large numbers of people. Starting families means many live a more insular life - that's only natural. So, for a variety of reasons, in this socially networked age, many of our networks rely mainly upon old college and high school friends - at first. It's the natural evolution that occurred over the 20 years since the dawn of the Internet.

We all have networks. We had them long before the Internet was created, and we have the opportunity to make the most of them now - as a result of the Internet.

Every time we ask a friend for a piece of advice or share a story about our day, we are networking. Once you realize this, then networking comes much more naturally. With the explosive and constant growth of the Internet, we now have an unprecedented opportunity to stay in better touch with all our networks and contacts. In so doing, we are creating a new "virtual" network.

The MySpace, Facebook, Twitter phenomenon is built upon new technology - a technology in which younger generations are creating vast virtual networks based on their interests - technology, gaming, music, art, etc. As with any social network most people started out creating a simple, basic profile on a social network. It didn't matter if it was LinkedIn, Tagged, Squidoo, Facebook, Flickr or YouTube that got us started. Everyone moving forward and continuing to evolve has eventually added at least a few photos, possibly a video, a blog, or even their favorite music - the constant is that these things are more personal...more true to our personalities.

The Importance of Networks
We are sharing our likes and dislikes with a network of old friends (and new) in a manner never before tested. Our networks have now grown to include a new "virtual" circle of contacts creating a new kind of community. It sounds so simple but many people are missing the big picture. We, as a society, are interacting in ways that were never before possible in the physical world alone. We are engaging in real-time discussions, sharing ideas and concepts with people in other countries and cultures, and our social groups have become much looser and far more geographically dispersed. Where will we take this?

The Internet has given us the opportunity to interact and connect with anyone who shares a similar interest regardless of where they live. This is huge, but it's just the tip of the iceberg.

For me, social networking quickly became a kind of social security blanket. There is great comfort in connectedness. You never know when you're going to need it and you can never have enough of it (in my humble opinion). The more diverse your network, the greater the likelihood that someone will give you whatever information you need in any particular situation. Although your local circle of friends and family is still invaluable, it will always be limited in size and scope - unlike your Internet social network.

Networking teaches us lessons
Understanding the value of virtual networking helps everyone see social media in a new light, so we can seek and find the social networking options that are our ideal forms of communication. For me, it's Facebook and LinkedIn. They work for me - one for personal contact and moral support, and the other for professional visibility, personal branding and business development. Whether we realize it or not, we have all embarked on this journey together. The very fact that you found (and read) this blog means you're ahead of the curve in the new Web 2.0 world.

Next week, I'll be exploring specific social networking applications and looking at how some companies are leveraging them more effectively than others. As always, participation is a choice. We can each be the pioneer we are and get on this social media bandwagon. We can choose to enjoy learning new things about the use of social media and its myriad variations in order to make educated decisions about our participation, or, we can sit back and let the parade pass.

I am a pioneer. Aren't you? I sincerely hope you'll decide to join the conversations at Social Media Life - where we all grow together.

#137 - How do you BUZZ all about it?

2010-02-17T11:11:00.015-06:00

Have you been following Joel Mark Witt's column about Google Buzz for the last couple of weeks? Joel has a great handle on the upside and the downside (and everything in between) when it comes to Google's latest entry into social networking.

Check out Joel's easy-to-follow, comprehensive article at FolkMedia - http://folkmedia.org/google-buzz-in-gmail/

For beginners, you can watch this quick YouTube video Google produced to give us all a basic understanding of what Buzz does.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi50KlsCBio

I am quite surprised after some reading, video viewing and playtime at my own Buzz site, that I find myself thinking that Buzz may work better for me personally than Twitter. I certainly don't have time to manage both. How about you?

Perhaps the creators of Twitter should be worried. Yes, Twitter is the current go-to for many people who like to socialize while on the go, and PR professionals intent on spreading the word. Still, social media is a very fickle place and things here can take on a life of their own. Twitter could burn out just as quickly as it originally ignited. So, will the masses move to Buzz? Only time will tell.

Seriously, I doubt Twitter will go anywhere soon (although stranger things have happened). From Buzz and Twitter to Facebook's Fan pages, it's all about business. This product may be social in nature but like every form of media today, it is ultimately advertising supported. If the producers don't profit then the medium either changes or disappears. The bottom line is always financial.

So, let's Buzz on and check out the link to Joel's post today at FolkMedia. The best advice we are sharing is that NOW is the best time to establish your Buzz profile. Do some experimenting of your own. Dive in. It's important (as a student of all things social media-related) to test the waters while the tech is new. (It's that whole "early bird catches the worm" thing.)

Have you already visited Buzz to set up an account or update status? You can find me at http://www.google.com/profiles/msuwordsmith. Let's share our experiences here by commenting in the box below.

Meanwhile, back at the Google lab...
Google is still working on additional features to make Buzz work for businesses and schools, and it will be interesting to see how that plays out. Buzz isn't yet available in Google Apps - but stay tuned. If you have a gmail account, just log in to automatically see the new "Buzz" link under "Inbox," that means Buzz is on for you. If you want to learn more in the meantime, just visit buzz.google.com.

#136 - Tell me about your Social Media Life!

2010-02-12T16:15:00.014-06:00

Breaking news! The focus of Life Lessons has now officially changed to reflect the many ways we are all living our lives in the social media spotlight. (Note the new blog title above - Social Media Life Lessons.) In case you're wondering what prompted this change, it's quite simple. Earlier this week I had a conversation with a prospective client, an executive VP for a non-profit organization in Nashville, and he remarked that more and more he found he was "practically living on Facebook."

It was not the first time I'd heard the comment, and it suddenly dawned on me that the real reason I blog is to explore and possibly even enhance knowledge of social media - be it with blogs, Facebook, Twitter, SocialGo, Squidoo, hundreds of online communities, forum discussions, RSS aggregators, various websites, or online news sources. What's happening in social media affects everyone. It has changed the virtual landscape of media from print to broadcasting in an amazingly short span of time - just one decade. The medium is changing and we need to change with it.

To better reflect the nature of this site, I have changed its title to reflect a focus on teaching important life lessons framed within the context of social media, including news and events of interest to students, everyday users, and social media practitioners. The primary goal is to keep you, the reader, informed (with an easy, interesting format) of changes in social media (which seem to be occurring almost daily). Each week, we'll focus on a specific lesson covering the most effective and popular usage of one social media tool or technique.

Feel free to leave topic requests in the comments section below! I'll put my best research skills to work to answer any reader questions or comments.

You can look forward to many more posts on how to leverage social media for PR, news writing, advertising, education, business and even personal use. So, please, take a minute to let me know what you want to learn more about or better utilize online. I will research and report on any aspect of social media you choose.

A blog is only as good as the conversation it fosters...I look forward to collaborating with you, communicating and educating in this blog space.

In other news...
There was major news in social media today with the announcement that Google is already re-tooling the new Buzz network to address privacy concerns raised by consumers - just day's after the network launched. Google plans to separate Buzz from users' Gmail accounts, according to a report at Search Engine Land. Personally, I applaud Google for taking quick action to address any security concerns. I do worry that this rocky start for Buzz does not bode well for the search engine giant's foray into social networking.

What do you think of Google Buzz? Have you tried it? Do you agree that it should be separated from Gmail accounts? Inquiring minds really want to know.

It's time to get this this conversation started! I look forward to hearing from you.

#135 - What's the buzz now? (Hint: it's Google - again)

2010-02-09T18:44:00.014-06:00

Just when the hoopla over Apple's iPad has died down, here comes Google with yet another major entry into the social media landscape. Google finally made its formal announcement of the most talked about new feature to hit the net yet - Google Buzz.

The latest Google product was designed to compete with both Twitter and Facebook, and sure, it's just another way for us to conduct social networking. But this new feature is integrated with Gmail and several other Google products, so maybe it could give Twitter a fight. There are still holdouts to micro-blogging. Too bad Google wasn't ready with this six months ago - before Twitter blew the roof off every projection with its record millions of new users worldwide.

Google explained in a number of venues today that its new "Buzz" consists of five main features:

1. Auto Follow, 2. Fast Sharing experience, 3. Support for Public and Private Sharing, 4. In-box Integration (with Gmail), and 5. Just the good stuff.

The last feature, The Good Stuff, is where Google Buzz actually recommends interesting posts to users and weeds out the ones you're most likely to skip. Sounds pretty good, huh? Given how much I weed through on my Twitter home page these days, I do find this application appealing. What do you think about the new features Google is selling?

Do you think you would actually use Buzz in addition to Twitter and Facebook or instead of one of those two? It's very hard to imagine any company actually giving Twitter a run for its money at this late date. Still, if anyone could, it would be Google.

For an in-depth look at everything the new Google venture promises to add to our social networking stratosphere, check out this article in today's TechCrunch: http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/09/if-google-wave-is-the-future-google-buzz-is-the-present/.

As I see it, the main drawback to the Google innovation is that you need a Gmail account to make it pay off. Believe it or not, I am one of the last holdouts to using gmail for email. Must I, really? I have plenty of emailboxes as it is (and everyone already has my addressed). Bummer.

Still, it's much too early to predict whether Google - the almighty king of the Web - will ever be able to successfully compete socially. They've not had the best track record. (Remember OpenSocial...FriendFeed?) No? See what I mean?

Anytime Google launches a new product it's big news around the blogosphere, because Google has grown omnipresent. It's also a company that knows how to succeed. One of Life Lesson's central goals is to report on those items which are pertinent to students and consumers of social media and mass communications education. And, I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot more buzz about Google's Buzz. You have my sincere promise that I'll be staying current with the reports so that I can let you know when thing become worthy of your time.

Stay tuned...!

Please add your comments below on the topic of Google Buzz. Let's get this conversation rolling. Part of creating a successful blog is having the capability to foster conversation. (Without your comments, I'm the only one talking.) So, you can see why I need your thoughts to make this work, especially as I develop a series of workshops on social media as it relates to marketing for businesses and in the lesson plans of journalism and mass comm educators.

#134 - Where to find all the news that's "fit to print"

2010-01-29T16:28:00.011-06:00

Social media is the talk of the town...and the blogosphere...and my grocery store checkout lane. I can't seem to escape it anywhere these days. I am often reminded of the famous line by Marshall McLuhan: "The medium is the message." Never have the words rung so true as they are for these times and this new "socially engaged" world. From Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn to The New York Times, Mashable, and far beyond, there is so much information out there on social media - possibly more on the medium itself than anything else. Hard news is getting harder to find while reality TV, meaningless gossip and talk of the blogosphere is all over the place. I fear the medium is becoming the only message.

As I work on developing a series of workshops to help teach journalism students the importance of and techniques for leveraging social media into effective advertising, public relations and news campaigns, I find myself devouring hundreds of pages, sites and articles. I'm learning more every day about just how much there is to learn about the medium. Where would the average non-journalist even begin? I have some advice on that. You start by reading and you only read the best. Toward this end, here's a handy link to the current Top 10 Social Media Blogs, as published by one of the best - the Social Media Examiner (http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com), and reprinted with permission.

Take it from me, if you want to learn what's going on in social media today, then these are the online sources you should be following. Just click the link!

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/top-10-social-media-blogs-of-2010/

Life Lesson: To be better, start studying the best!

#133 - Get ready for the "Splinternet"

2010-01-27T11:19:00.015-06:00

Hold on to your seats folks, everything is about to change. Believe it or not, we've been on a fairly cushy ride for the last 15 years with the rise of the Internet. As the Web produced more and more and more convenient technology for us to consume, we got used to the fact that it was being developed under the premise that devices/programs/hardware/software/applications - everything - should, could and would work together. Does anyone besides me remember the dark ages when we couldn't even file share between a Mac and a PC? Oh, the horror!

But seriously, weren't we all happier when our technologies started to mesh? Now, it appears we are headed backwards, sideways and in every other direction. Competition has reared its ugly head and it's making my life more confusing and more complicated. How about you?

Google led the way in the technological revolution that made searching (and finding) anything and everything on the web - soooo easy. All our "stuff" started working in unison and it was good. Today, a number of prominent bloggers, like Seth Godin, and Josh Bernoff at Groundswell, have dubbed the Internet, the "Splinternet," as new technology spreads our accessibility in different directions. Clever, clever. I loved Seth's posts yesterday, too. (And highly recommend his new book" LinchPin - available at Amazon.com.)

The catalyst for change this time is Apple. What am I talking about? Well, if you haven't guessed by now, it's the hot story of the day - Apple's dramatic introduction of the new iPad - their Tablet device - which competes with Amazon's Kindle. Before you shake your head and think this is just another non-event, just peruse some of last night's buzz. I read so many posts on the subject that my head started to spin like Linda Blair in The Exorcist - but the experts seem to have reached concensus. These competing technologies are not a good thing.

Here's a good Huffington Post article succinctly giving us the five W's (that's Who, What, When, Where, and Why, for non-journalists). Check it out: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/26/apple-tablet-news-updates_n_437190.html.

After reading all the blogs, columns and webzines, I get it. This is a major change and it will ultimately affect us all.

For instance, did you know that Apps for the iPhone won't necessarily work on the new Google droid? Or, that a book published for the Kindle isn't readable on the new iPad? Didn't this really start with the introduction of Blu-Ray? (My DVD player was working just fine; then HD came out and, like so many, I just had to upgrade.) Why can't all of these technologies just get along? And no, you can't play a Blu-ray disc on anything other than a Blu-Ray player. So, just how many ways do I need to be able to watch a movie?

Major corporations have invested millions to develop mobile applications that now - suddenly - will not work for everyone. Let's make up our minds. Even better, let's go back to "sharing" and collaborating on technology that works interchangeably - on every device. That's what the World Wide Web was all about. We wanted to make things easier, not more confusing.

My heart goes out to all the software developers, brand managers and marketing directors who are dealing with the fall-out from these new mobile platforms. It feels like something new is being introduced every week. When some users have iPads and others have Kindle, then the challenges of both production and marketing become more difficult - for everyone.

Life lesson: The best piece of advice for consumers (and companies), is to choose your platforms and your devices very carefully. You need to know exactly who supports what before you respond to the hype, rushing out to buy the latest and greatest. As with everything in life, the choices you make today really do matter tomorrow.

Follow up to my previous post - Check out this link which summarizes Google's decision to pull out of China. I couldn't possibly write it better, so I'm sharing this brief article which ties up the issues outlined in my previous post: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/pda/2010/jan/25/google-drummond-china.

# 132 - Why Google is my Hero

2010-01-16T11:19:00.018-06:00

While the horror in Haiti and the Late Night Wars seem to have dominated the news this week, I found myself uplifted by Google's response to China's latest antics. Earlier in this news-heavy week, Google made a major announcement, reporting that it had been the target of cyberattacks by agents who "appeared to be working on orders from the Chinese government." More important, the company also took a stand. I applaud Google's actions and its corporate commitment to "do no harm," a policy we would all do well to try and live by. (Yes, there's a Life Lesson here, too.)

According to ComputerWorld [http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9145218/U.S._to_lodge_formal_protest_with_China_over_alleged_cyberattacks], the U.S. has announced it will lodge a formal protest with China over the nation's alleged involvement in this hacking scandal. The U.S. Department of State will issue an official "demarche" (that's a formal diplomatic representation of an official position) in Beijing next week expressing U.S. concern over the attacks and demanding some sort of explanation. The information comes from a State Department spokesman, Philip Crowley, as quoted in a Reuters report.

More than 30 other companies may also have been targeted in the same attacks prompting widespread concern over state-sponsored cyberattacks - all originating from China. What's really at stake here? To my understanding, what China has done is use nefarious means to "out" its own citizens who "allegedly" used Google to express dissident views and information. Rather, they spoke out against the communist regime using tools available to them freely through Google.

In America, we call this Freedom of Speech. In China, with its bizarre combination of a communist government and capitalistic society, no such freedom actually exists. What I love about this story is that Google, upon learning of the alleged espionage, refused to remain a party to anything harmful to the citizenry of China. Kudos!

While the incident raises questions about both Internet freedom worldwide and the security of the Internet in China, it also begs the broader question of corporate responsibility. Google could have just chalked this up to the communist machine and continued on its merry way. It did not. Unlike so many U.S.-based corporations, Google truly operates under the banner of "First, do no harm." It has stated in a variety of reports that it will not be party to this action, that it would rather leave China than help the government persecute its citizens. Way to go, Google! Score one for the good guys.

According to Crowley, Google informed the State Department of its concerns over the cyberattacks before going public with the news. Similar concern had apparently been raised in the past. This time, Google says it has no doubts as to who the cyber-culprits really are. Let's just consider Google for a moment. It is a giant - the world's leading search engine. Along with rapid expansion of the Internet, many borders have "virtually" disappeared. Google's reach allowed the 1.3 billion residents of China to enjoy a taste of freedom - freedom of speech and freedom of information via the wildly popular search engine. The problem for China's government, apparently, is that the people liked what they tasted...maybe a little too much.

All this week, the residents of China have been paying homage to Google, leaving wreaths, gifts and correspondence at corporate office doorsteps. They are literally pleading for Google to stay and allow them to continue freely communicating. But Google has taken a formal stand and announced publicly (at least this is my take on it) that it will simply leave China if this situation - and the hacking (and subsequent outing of dissidents) - continues.

What if Google were to stay under the current conditions? Would that not, in essence, imply that it accepted or enabled the Chinese government to continue abusing its population? I stand with Google. They present us with a great example of a company living by its own principles - something Wall Street, the giant banks and U.S. automakers should try for a change. Google operates a firm ideal just like medical doctors who take the oath to "First, do no harm." Google just told the world that it will not take part in facilitating something that so many view as harmful to citizens.

The security analysts are saying that these kinds of cyberattacks are unlikely to be deterred by Google's policy statements or U.S. expressions of protest, especially given the enormous economic stakes. At the same time, there are also reports that there may be absolutely nothing our government can do in retaliation to the hacking of Google. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has actually claimed ignorance (and innocence) in the matter. Really, China? Sheesh.

Might there be some other, non-diplomatic, response Google could make against these cyber-bullies operating out of China? I don't have the answer, but I'll be watching this as it unfolds and wishing Google godspeed.

In the end, issues of Internet privacy and freedom are left largely to the businesses targeted by such attacks. It is up to the corporations to defend themselves. I hope the brilliant minds at Google can come up with some way to stay in China AND stop the hacking. If they can't, I fully agree they should walk away and let the chips fall where they may. Perhaps the population of China will finally decide it's had enough. I'm not suggesting massive revolt against the ruling party, but change is in the wind. I doubt the people of China who enjoyed their Google access will now quietly acquiesce to living without it. In any event, I wish the people of China (and Google) the best.

Life Lesson - In all things: First, do no harm.

Additional sources: Digg Daily, Reuters.com, ComputerWorld.

#130 - Facebook Fan Pages: The Results

2010-01-10T12:23:00.009-06:00

In one of the first large-scale studies of Facebook pages ever conducted, Toronto-based Sysomos analyzed and investigated usage patterns on nearly 600,000 Facebook pages.

The results included information on various aspects including popularity, amount of content posted, number of fans and categories. This is a study of interest for anyone who manages Facebook Fan pages or plans to create one.

Here are a few highlights:

On average, a Facebook Page has 4,596 fans.

Four percent of pages have more than 10,000 fans, 0.76% of pages have more than 100,000 fans, and 0.05% of pages (or 297 in total) have more than a million fans.

Pages with more than one million fans have nearly three times as much owner-generated content as the average Facebook page. (Where “owner-generated content” means things like photos, videos, and links posted by the page’s administrators.)

Pages with more than a million fans have nearly 60 times as much fan-generated content (photos, videos) as the average Facebook page.

On an average Facebook Page, the administrators create one wall post every 15.7 days. Among pages with more than a million fans, one wall post is created for every 16.1 days. This suggests that wall post frequency shares no correlation with a page’s popularity.

Overall, the most popular “category” for Facebook pages is “non-profits,” while “celebrities,” “music” and “products” are the most popular categories among pages with more than a million fans.

There is much more to glean from the study. Find it all here.

The point is that major engagement on a Facebook fan page (as with any other community) takes work. Often, an administrator (or community manager) is charged with creating the bulk of the content. Facebook may be the most amazing social network on the planet with more than 350 million members, but don’t let that number fool you. People are not knocking down the door to get to your new fan page.

Life Lesson: Success always takes time and hard work.

#129 - The Job Market: How "Young" do you Interview?

2010-01-08T12:53:00.021-06:00

How old do you think you come across in an interview? If you’re anything like me, this thought has never really crossed your mind - before now. Of course, we all know that an interviewer can easily figure out a person's age. That’s not the point. The harsh truth is that perception is the new reality (kind of like 50 is the new 40). So, if you’re in the job market, you may want to see if you couldn't be perceived as more youthful. Seriously, it's about far more than appearances.

You might be asking... is this fair? Is it legal? Is ageism rampant in this country? And most important, should you give in to such nonsense? Let me put it another way, if you’re over 40 and searching for employment, do read on.

The recession we've all been feeling has made the job market much more competitive. Now, any boss can use the economy as an excuse to fire just about anyone for any reason. So, pay attention middle-agers. The wounded economy is a perfect opportunity for higher-ups to fire senior workers whose high wages (and big egos) have outlasted their welcome.

If you are already among the unemployed, you must do whatever it takes to convey to hiring managers that you are still highly employable. What does that mean? Well, who wants to hire someone who's stuck in their old-fashioned thought patterns and habits? Today, being qualified, hard-working and loyal may not be enough. Even a shiny new college degree and excellent references won't get you as far as you thought (take it from someone who knows).

OK…back to the age thing
While many workers have learned that good looks and a polished appearance will always go a long way toward success in the workplace, many fail to realize that cultivating the perception of a youthful, hip attitude is equally important. It's no secret that we live in an age-obsessed society. Like it or not, recruiters are talking to clients about "interviewing younger." It’s the latest catchphrase.

Interviewing younger or being perceived as more “with it” is about vocabulary, body language, and appearance. Here's the real secret - the rules apply even more when a potential boss is your age or older than you. Whatever the age of your boss or interviewer, you can create a youthful perception about yourself. Otherwise, there will be someone else waiting in the wings who has quicker computer skills, greater pop-culture knowledge, and is all too happy to fill the slot.

In order to get or hold on to your job while others around you are losing theirs, consider this list of suggestions from executive recruiters at The Ladders:

Rule #1: Crest Whitestrips. (Yes, this is a shallow, ridiculous cosmetic tip.)
But having coffee or cigarette-stained teeth won’t do you any favors in an interview. Don’t roll your eyes; but do visit a dentist or buy the strips. Then smile. Smiling makes everyone look and feel younger – not bitter, old or unemployed. And, if you are bitter, old, and unemployed, it’s still all about perception.

Rule #2: If you are over 40, start a Facebook profile - today.
No friends? Well, you have one now - you can Facebook me. If you don't know how to do this, just ask your kids, or even better, ask someone at the office to "reverse mentor" you on it. Let that same person help you choose a profile picture. Seriously. Social networking plays a role in the job search today. Next, start your LinkedIn profile.

Rule #3: Know about and frequently use Google, Wikipedia, Yahoo, StumbleUpon and/or Delicious. Bookmark them on your computer, and set one as your homepage.

Rule #4: Watch at least one episode of "Family Guy."

Rule #5: Visit the local Apple store or website. Know the difference between an iPod Touch, an iPod Nano and an iPhone. Consider getting an iPod or MP3 player if you've never had one; listen to some popular music - just be aware of a few artists; you don't have to like it. Also, find out what iTunes is about.

Rule #6: Do not disclose your SAT scores.
If for some reason you still remember your SAT scores, just keep them to yourself. Not only does no one care, but scoring has likely changed since you took the tests; so you'll end up aging yourself by mentioning it.

Rule #7: Don't talk about the fact that you're addicted to Starbucks.
Or the Coffee Bean, or whatever your place is. It might seem like this would make you appear younger, but it won't. Starbucks screams "unemployed loser." Besides, you would never walk into an interview with a coffee cup (you just whitened your teeth).

Rule #8: Pick up a copy of “Entertainment Weekly” before the next interview.
But for God's sake, don't take it in with you and don't let anyone see you reading it - ever. That said, nothing brings you more up-to-date on youthful pop culture than an issue of EW.

Rule #9: Learn how to text.

Rule #10: Lose the newspaper. Young people get their news online; they don't have the paper delivered. Along these lines, never carry a paper into an interview or be seen reading one at the office like someone's mom or dad.

Rule #11: Brush up on your sports. This is easy. You can even get away with talking about Michael Phelps or Tiger Woods and still get credit. Gain big bonus points if you know what's happening in the NCAA tournament.

Rule #12: Make eye contact. Eye contact is critical to youthful perception; don't be afraid to use it.

Rule #13: Rarely, if ever, refer to your children or grandchildren. Never ever refer to your great-grandchildren during an interview.

Rule #14: Go to the gym. Or, at least say that you do.

Rule #15: Never talk about the ’80s or ’90s. Never use terms like "back in the day." Nothing at work is groovy, dy-no-mite, or tubular anymore.

Rule #16: Get a DVR or TiVo. Know how these devices work and don't confuse the term DVR with DVD; there is a huge difference.

Rule #17: Practice "sounding young" on the phone. Take a survey among your friends by asking how old they think you sound on the phone, and then practice sounding younger, if necessary. (Tip: Make your tone higher - and peppier.) In the same vein, make sure your outgoing voicemail message isn't long or boring. Short and sweet with a positive attitude is all you ever need.

Rule #18: Always dress age-appropriate. No 40+ guy should be wearing an Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt. For more tips on updating your look without looking too young, just Google the words frump factor.

Rule #19: Give your hairstyle a makeover, or at least, a review. No wonder there are so many makeover shows on TV! Be sure to ask an outsider for an opinion on this. Someone who loves you won't want to hurt your feelings or may really love your old look (for sentimental or romantic reasons). Sadly, that won't help you get a job. Bad haircolor spells disaster for both men and women. Men, try not to go overboard in this area – just clip your nose and ear hair and you're probably OK, but shave that goatee, beard or moustache. These send the wrong signal. Ladies, get rid of any facial hair, too.

Rule #20: Skip the cologne and excessive perfume.

Whew! See, that wasn't so hard. Do you feel a little younger, hipper or just slightly offended? I understand how you feel. I’m back in the job market, too (at age 50), and I’ve been reading books and article on this subject all week. We probably just took 10 years off the way some people perceive us. And, it’s all about perception... the new reality.

(Partial list excerpts from: The Marketing Ladders - http://marketing.theladders.com/ - executive recruiting and search.

#128 - A new way to encourage Word of Mouth

2010-01-07T13:01:00.008-06:00

What's the biggest challenge facing every marketer (of anything) using the Internet today? In my humble opinion, it's the fact that everyone expects everything to be free. Perceived value has become a critical core issue. Once you've given a thing away, how do you go back and ask consumers to pay for it? Just look at the major newspapers struggling with this question right now.

To some extent, the Internet is still heavy into the process of cannibalizing traditional media - and I mean newspapers and TV. The mass public is more convinced than ever that information, and possibly, entertainment, should be commodities. As a lifelong journalist, I see the trouble that's been brewing with mass media as ironing itself out over time while the entire industry undergoes a massive sea change. Yet, I'm quite excited by all the possibilities coming to the fore right now.

Just How Free is Free?
Many businesses today feel forced to give things away for free. If they don't, they fear prospective customers will just go elsewhere to find the same information. This is even true for simple bloggers, like me, out here on our own time and on our own dime. But this doesn't apply strictly to giving away information. It also applies to giving promotional discounts on products and free Internet downloads.

The real dilemma is how to create a system whereby users gain access to a giveaway but only if they decide to promote the product or service. After all, if they find value in what a company offers, then it seems fair that they should promote it to others if they receive something for free. Remember that old adage, "there's no such thing as a free lunch?" Well, perhaps it's time to remind consumers (and marketers) that this still rings true.

SachiStudios sent me an interesting challenge via email today and that's what started me thinking. They recommended Tweet Promo Builder: http://www.tweetpromobuilder.com to me. And, no, I received nothing for free in return, and the sales message in the email was not something applicable to my work. I chose to write about the tool and their sales pitch because they intrigued me. I think their idea is noteworthy to anyone in marketing.

Here's how the plan works:

1. A user or consumer visits your page or web site. There, you offer them a promo code or a file that they can download for free. However, in order to gain access to the material - be it a music file, white paper, an ebook, or whatever - they then send out a "tweet" on your behalf that you just required them to send through Tweet Promo Builder.

2. Once someone opts in, their tweet featuring your promotional message is posted on their Twitter feed to be seen by all their followers. Then, using Twitter's own API, the system immediately confirms that this tweet was actually sent.

3. Once the tweet is sent, the user instantly gets access to your promo code or your file to download. Do you think this will work for you? It sounds like a concept worth trying out. The power in it is no longer having to give something away - for free. There is a quid pro quo when the end user promotes you to others - or is there? I think it depends upon what you're giving away, who your target audience is, and whether or not Twitter is really the right medium for you. The criteria for deciding which types of products this is suited to is the basis for a separate blog post entirely.

In theory, this process would perpetuate itself by creating word-of-mouth that continues on and on and on. They promote you and all their followers see the message. Some of their followers are interested enough to check you out, opt into the same promotional message and thus promote you to their followers, and so it continues.

Relationship building is still king
Another benefit would be building relationships with everyone who tweets for you. You simply follow up with them and ask for some feedback. Why did they download that offer? Did they find it valuable? Are they interested in other services or products you offer? As always, social media is a great relationship-building tool. But, it all comes down to the follow-up. (Insider tip of the day: those who fail at social media generally fail to follow up.)

I'd love to hear from any reader or business that has actually tried this new technique. Is it working for you? My early blogs have already given away the fact that I am not a huge Twitter fan. I may even have inferred way back when that Twitter is just a fad that will give way (in another year) to the next big thing. Guess what? I'm OK with admitting it when I am wrong. While I go back to the proverbial blog drawing board, feel free to sound off on your own experiences with Twitter and Tweet Promo Builder.

Color me curious yellow!

#127- How do you define Social Media?

2010-01-06T17:14:00.008-06:00

If you’ve ever had a hard time explaining “Social Media” to your family (or your colleagues), here's a quick overview to illustrate the differences between Social News, User-Generated Content, and Networking sites.

Categories of Social Media:

Social News sites allow people to post and vote upon news or other content they consider noteworthy.
Social Networks connect friends to each other with pictures, status updates, and other applications.
User-Generated Content is found on sites where users can upload content and make it public. UGC also includes formats like comments, ratings and reviews, and other feedback mechanisms.

Here are the places these things overlap:

Blogs have strong characteristics of all three of these categories. Their content is generated by users; they can have news value, and they are often viewed by a network of followers (something I'm working very hard to build here, for example).
Twitter is a collection of networks that follow each other's brief status updates, to whom the news is considered noteworthy.
RSS (Really Simple Syndication), allows a network of subscribers to receive new or updated content.

If you read this blog you’ll soon realize that I’m a huge fan of social networking. I believe in it, especially for anyone in business, but even more so for small businesses. Social networking is a tremendous way to stay on top of a niche and build connections. But there are appropriate times when you can take a break.

Just as with anything else in life, you’ve got to know when to walk away. Sometimes, a planned break can energize you. You come back stronger and ready to run some more. That’s true in a workout, business, relationships, and a lot of things - including social networking.

But how much time should you take off and when?
Just do what is right for you. Obviously, holidays are days most standard businesses take off – Christmas, New Year’s, etc. It is reasonable to take off recognized national holidays

Site/community managers, bloggers, and others must not disappear for too long, however. Taking an entire month off from social networking will cause a loss of momentum. A week off here and there is probably not a problem. A day off is perfectly acceptable for a blogger or citizen journalist. Days off can give you back the energy you need. But, if you run a social community or even a fan page or web site for a small business, it's important to try and find someone to fill your shoes when you need time off - someone who knows your company or product and who can represent your business well.

So, if your batteries need re-charging, by all means, take a break, just don't be gone for too long.

#126 - Are you in a period of Transition?

2010-01-05T17:32:00.005-06:00

In earlier days, being out of work was referred to as being laid off, downsized, unemployed or the dreaded - fired. Since there are so many of us who have lost jobs today, someone looked for a more palatable term to allow us to explain our current state of unemployment. The latest terminology for conveying this career status is “in transition.”

Webster’s dictionary defines transition as “a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another.” Many have written that the whole concept of employment is changing – permanently. On that basis, the term transition really makes sense.

With that in mind, if you would describe your current situation as “in transition,” consider what you are doing with your time. If you are focused on replacing a job you had with one very nearly the same, that might work out for you, but it’s not a transition.

I’m not picking on anyone for not complying with Webster’s. What I would ask is that we all wake up to the reality that the demand for many positions is not about to come back to pre-2008 levels – possibly ever. This means competition will be stiffer, compensation will be lower, and the time to land a new job will be longer. Are you prepared?

Let me ask a better question. Did you really love that old job? I mean “wake up in the morning and can’t wait to get to it” love it? Right, I didn’t think so.

Kevin Cashman tells a story in the book Leadership from the Inside Out about making choices. He asks readers to imagine being stranded in a snowstorm and missing an important meeting. Do we rant about it and let it raise our blood pressure? Or, do we realize that one of the things we would really love is a few hours alone - just to think? Do we let a single event derail us or, do we choose to see it as a wish granted? The choice is ours.

You can also choose to live the definition of transition during challenging times. Instead of just another job search, engage in your own transition. Reinvent yourself. Learn.

A number of publications discuss common ideas that may help us connect better to our internal motivations. Three ideas are mentioned quite often. They revolve around seeking autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

Autonomy: Rather than submitting hundreds of resumes blindly and hoping for a call back, look take a look around. What problems could you solve for a friend starting a new business? She might need the professionalism you offer but never thought she could afford your price tag. So, help her out. Help her first and let the finances work themselves out (they will, trust me).

Volunteer for charitable organizations or struggling non-profits. If you can make a difference, then people will notice. People you have helped will look for ways to help you. You won’t be going in, hat in hand, asking for a referral. You will gain an ally who has seen you in action and is happy to recommend you.

Don’t even think of saying you don’t have time. If you want to do the traditional job search, it’s going to take 6 – 9 months to find a job you don’t really like. Consider transition activities to be your part-time job for now and, more importantly, part of your journey to fulfillment.

Mastery: For the new role you would really love to have, you might need to master new skills. Let’s say your friend with that new business can afford to pay you half of what you were used to. If you can learn a new skill at the same time, you 'll save the cost of tuition to a business college, meaning you're not taking a pay cut at all.

Join groups and pay attention to the events they host. Many are low or no-cost events. Offer to help with planning. Being a planner is like having a backstage pass. You may be able to meet a knowledgeable or influential keynote speaker in the field you want. How much would that be worth to you?

Purpose: Having a purpose is uniquely human. Finding it isn’t a journey you make alone. Your coaches might be right in front of you. Instead of asking people how they can help you find a job, ask them if they know their purpose. When you find others who know their purpose, ask them how they learned what it was.

Find out who you are and what you are here to do. Learn which skills you need to master to fulfill your purpose.

Taking ownership doesn’t mean going solo. Seeking guidance is an important step in transition. Not transition as a euphemism for joblessness, but transition as Webster defined it.

#125 - Has the Internet changed the way new businesses are created?

2010-01-05T11:09:00.010-06:00

The Internet can be blamed for a lot of things, like the changing media landscape, SPAM, and that massive computer meltdown I had last week. But mostly, the Internet is to blame for the new way we are conducting business in the world today. Just think, a decade ago, everything was completely different in every marketplace! This has a lot to do with the modular way business can now be conducted with a combination of loose connections instead of a solid structure. Well-known blogger Chris Brogan said all this best in a recent post (see the link below), so I'm sharing a portion of his insight here.

Bottom line - We have all the infrastructure we need now to move quickly, grow and do things in a distributed and collaborative fashion.

Just think about it. I can set up Freshbooks to do all my invoicing, build a quick Blogger or WordPress site, use Google Docs for planning, use PayPal to take in money, and employ Twitter and Google Wave (or Socialcast) to do team planning. I can even use Batchbook to keep up with the metrics; and so it goes.

There are dozens of combinations of the above list, and it’s all there for any of us to use to achieve our dreams.

Now, let's back up a step. The web also allows us to find like minds much easier. The moment I wrote that I was thinking about the future of non-traditional college students, I had an in-box full of willing collaborators. If I told you I wanted to write a pop culture blog about women’s issues, any number of people would dive in, too. That’s the thing. We can issue a call to action much easier now.

Oh, and if you get stuck, you can find people who know the answers much more quickly. LinkedIn Answers, Twitter, and Facebook are bursting at the seams with people who would love to help.

Think. Plan. Execute. Revise.
To me, the new formula of business is: think, plan, execute, revise. It’s important to consider all the contingencies. It’s important to be prepared for what might go wrong. But the best way to find out what’s going to go wrong is to launch your new business and find the flaws through trial and error.

This is top of mind with me at the moment as I’ve just launched a new editing business in a marketplace that I don’t fully understand, with a product that I’m still developing, to a bunch of people I don’t necessarily have neatly in one place. Am I afraid? Not at all. I’ve got smart collaborators galore. We’ll figure it out as we go. Will we upset anyone along the way? Probably. Show me a business that hasn’t made a mistake, and well...you know the rest. The goal is not to make a fatal mistake.

Think. Plan. Execute. Revise.

What business are you in?
Where’s your passion right now? What business would you like to create? How will you go about building it?

Let’s talk about it. Maybe we can help each other.

Content attribution: http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-we-make-businesses-these-days/

#125 - Social media marketing in the 20-teens

2010-01-02T09:33:00.006-06:00

We can all learn a lot from the digital decade of the twenty-ohs (as Josh Bernoff at Forrester Research calls it). Bernoff shared his team's insights in a recent blog I found worthy of a re-cap:

We have all been part of a transformational decade - the digital decade of the 2000s. Our obsession with the latest product from Google or Apple often clouded our recognition of the long-term effects of the decade's events. We all know where we are now. But many of us have forgotten where we were, and just how dramatically things changed in 10 short years.

In 2001, Bill Gates called this new decade "The Digital Decade." He was so right.

* When the last decade began, there were 2.6 million broadband households in the US, one out of every 40 homes. Now there are 80 million, or two thirds of the population. Broadband has gone from rare to ubiquitous.

* Starting from zero, digital video recorders reached 31 million homes and HDTV reached 51 million. Together with online video and video on-demand, these gadgets completely transformed the television experience.

* Mobile phones subscriptions are now 270 million, out of 307 million US adults. (For a comparison, mobile phones were in 51 million households at the start of the decade, and back then having more than one phone per household was unusual.) In 1999 phones were phones. Now they are iPhones, Blackberries, and Androids -- computers and Internet access devices.

* Portable digital music players have reached 76% of all US households. At the start of the decade, there were none, because the iPod had yet to be introduced. Mark Mulligan called it "The Decade That Music Forgot."

* And finally, it's worth commenting that Google just celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. In 1999, most of us hadn't even heard of it. And forget social technologies -- in 1999, a few people were talking in chat forums - and that was it.

As we look back on all this from the perspective of media and marketing, it's clear that consumers lead, media stumbles along behind, and marketers follow the media.

In 2009, consumers spent 34% of their media time online. As a result, digital marketing spending went from $6.2 billion in 1999 to $25.6 billion, or 12% of all marketing spending, in 2009. But marketers are still spending most of their energy and dollars on television, newspapers, and radio. (And you thought old media was dead!)

Within those industries, spending shifts much slower than behavior. Newspaper websites still bring in far less revenue than ads in printed editions. Video on-demand (VOD) and online video ad models are still only under construction.

What can we learn from the last decade?
First, consumers (we) move quickly, models move slowly, and marketing moves conservatively. When you see a technology shifting, that's the time to closely observe the models behind it. It will take years for them to take hold, and in those years, we all have a chance to learn. That's when marketing professionals need to experiment and figure out how things work, because that's when it's cheap and the competition is hanging back. Because when transformation happens -- and it will -- the best advantage is knowledge.

2010 passes the Advantage to marketers
According to Bernoff (and many others), the twenty-oh's were the digital decade for consumers. They predict that the twenty-teens will be the digital decade for marketers - meaning business is catching up. Being a savvy consumer has never been more important. Wouldn't you agree?

#122 - A "Worm" Welcome to the New Year

2009-12-29T12:36:00.015-06:00

How the worm does turn. First, I apologize for my 10-day absence. I am writing, thankfully, from a friend's computer following a minor computer disaster. Upon my return from a hectic 5-days in South Florida, an overflowing email inbox demanded some immediate attention. In my haste, I opened a file sent by an old classmate - or so I thought. I fleetingly recall thinking that it was very sweet that the young man had thought of me over his holiday break, and wasn't it so thoughtful that he sent me a video link. And so, without proper forethought, I clicked on that YouTube link. Big mistake.

Alas! Not only was the message not valid (my classmate's Facebook account had been hacked), but once I opened his file it downloaded a massive attack on my computer complete with Trojans, worms and other sundry viruses. Even worse, it sent the same link out under my name to all my Facebook friends, something I found more than a bit embarrassing. Making a long story short, I've battled these technology gremlins all week. While the problem is not yet fully resolved, I am prepared to begin rebuilding next week. I find this all a fitting start to the New Year and my ongoing journey. It's New Year's Eve and the perfect time to reflect, plan and consider the year past and the one to come.

A common theme among blogs this week has been rededicating ourselves to a healthy (or healthier) lifestyle in 2010. Many people are setting all kinds of goals - not resolutions necessarily (that tends to stand for things we wish we would do but never follow through on), but truly attainable goals. Perhaps it's just "arguing semantics" (sorry, I'm in communications), but if setting goals works, then go for it!

Attainable Goals and Plans That Will Make Them Happen
One of my goals for the New Year is to foster a greater sense of community here at the blog site. Please remember that you have someone ready and willing to offer support and celebrate your successes. My comments section is for engaging in dialog. May 2010 be our year to make progress and form meaningful connections.

Another personal goal in 2010 is to stop taking things so personally. As a blogger, I realize many of my readers don’t really know me. They know a tiny part of my work. If someone dislikes me or something I've written, that's OK. I am getting better at being responsible (for myself and not everyone else) and understanding that I cannot please everyone. This year, the focus is on what really matters: growing the site and bringing people together.

Reflecting on 2009
The first decade of the new millennium has come to an end. For me, I'm thinking, here I am at 50, and the second half is still stretching before me. I am ready for success on the heels of achieving one of my life goals when I completed my master's degree. What did you accomplish in the last year, the 10, and are you on track for the next decade?

On a micro-level, the last 10 years was a decade of missed opportunity. The Internet transformed all of our lives forever. Opportunities were created (and a few were taken advantage of). But, like every decade, just about everyone missed out. Most people just hunkered down and did their jobs (while they still had them) or did what they were told or did what they thought they were supposed to, and just about everyone got very little as a result.

Ten years from now, what will you or I have to show for what we're doing right now? It's worth thinking about.

How about what we have each accomplished over this past decade. What is your biggest regret? I sure know what mine was, and I'm ready to move on from that and let go of the regret that was holding me back. Do you wish that you had started, joined, invested in, or built something in recent years? Are you left wishing that you'd at least had the courage to try something new? In hindsight, the 1990s may seem like the good old days.

So many of us missed out. Why? Because it's always possible to find a reason to stay put, to skip an opportunity, or to decline an offer. And yet, in retrospect, it's hard to remember why we said no and it's easy to wish that we had said yes.

Motivate, activate, engage
The thing is, we still live in this world and it's still filled with opportunities. In fact, we have more than opportunity -- we have an obligation -- an obligation to spend our time doing great things. To find ideas that matter and share them. To push ourselves and the people around us to demonstrate gratitude, insight and inspiration. To take risks and make the world better by being amazing.

Are these crazy times? You bet. But so were the days when we were doing duck-and-cover air-raid drills in elementary school, or dealing with the aftermath of 9/11. These will always be crazy times from someone's perspective.

So let's make a pact here and now as we start the New Year. Let's stop thinking about how crazy times are, and start thinking about what these times demand of us. There has never been a worse time for "business as usual," personally or professionally. Business as usual is sure to fail, sure to disappoint, sure to numb your dreams. There has never been a better time for "new." Competitors are too afraid to spend money. Bankers have no idea where to safely invest. Potential employees are desperately looking for something exciting, something they might feel passionate about, something they can genuinely engage with.

You are responsible. YOU get to make the choices. You can remake your choices every day, in fact. It's never too late to choose optimism, to choose action, to choose excellence. It only takes a moment -- just one second -- to decide.

Before you finish reading this paragraph, you have the power to change everything to come. And you can do so by asking yourself the one question that every organization and every individual needs to ask today: Why not be great?

Happy New Year to you! May 2010 bring each of us closer to our dreams. And, most important, may we always remember that the journey is an end unto itself.

#120 - How to edit your own writing

2009-12-21T11:27:00.018-06:00

Many have argued that the key to great writing is actually great editing. As a career editor, I can confirm that there’s a lot of truth in that statement, which is why developing your own rewriting technique can add significant luster to your finished documents.

The copy editor's secret weapon
I'd like to share a technique that’s proven highly successful for many writers. It's known as the One Paragraph Rewrite. This technique works for term papers, reports, articles, news stories, advertising copy, even that letter you've been meaning to write your mother. Here’s how it works:

Do a standard rewrite or edit just as you would usually. Once you think you’ve got the final product, start your One Paragraph Rewrite by opening another blank document. Select and copy your lead paragraph and paste it onto the new blank page. This isolates that one paragraph in a sea of white space. In fact, go ahead and maximize the copy so it fills the entire screen and blocks out background distractions. The more white space the better. This allows you to consider the writing (more objectively) from a microcosmic perspective.

Now, each word and sentence – placed in isolation – comes into fuller relief. Your ability to concentrate on the critical components of word choice, word play and sentence construction is strengthened as you evaluate in the microcosm, much in the way headlines are given extra time and consideration because of their finite nature.

In the minimalist environment, you conduct your own One Paragraph Rewrite. Then, assuming you made changes, copy and paste the paragraph back into the original document. Next, copy the second paragraph and paste it onto your blank page. Graph by graph, work your way through the entire document. The extra time and effort expended will make anything you write better.

Of course, paragraphs don’t exist in a vacuum. They must integrate seamlessly back into the preceding and ensuing sections. It’s simple enough to toggle back and forth between the two files so you can consult adjacent paragraphs and make sure your changes have no undesirable side effects.

After you’ve worked your way through each and every paragraph, only then should you read the document again in its entirety. The downside to the One Paragraph Rewrite is that it can lead to choppy copy (which sounds a lot like a new flavor of ice cream I'd like to try). Reading the full document beginning to end one more time is the crucial ingredient in any edit. You want the words to flow and track with no inconsistencies.

This may sound extremely simplistic, but it is a powerful method employed by many professionals. Try it for yourself on the next important document that requires some extra polish. You just might be surprised by the "editor" in you.

Happy holidays to all ...and to all a good week!

#119 - Oh, Tiger, Tiger... burning bright

2009-12-19T11:09:00.017-06:00

Are you as sick as I am over hearing ever more news about the public debacle that has become TigerGate? It’s been coming at us from all directions for going on three weeks now. I thought I could avoid giving it any attention, but I find that even I now have a need to talk about the elephant in the room – or should I say the Tiger?

In a former career and for nearly a decade, I created marketing/advertising campaigns for builders of golf course communities and country clubs. As a result, I spent many hours and days on some of this country’s truly spectacular golf courses. I learned to play, to love and to respect the game. I watched with wonderment and awe over the last decade as Tiger Woods did for golf what no other human being could have.

No, I don't want to mention his legacy to the game or his Swedish wife or his mom. I really want to talk about the immense respect I have for his achievements. After all, he is just a man who happens to be the world's greatest golfer. I only wish that we, the masses, did not have to be bothered by his personal life. I, for one, did not care and his personal life does not affect me, nor do I feel it is any of our business.

Which brings me back to golf. Specifically, about the delusion that this game of golf is somehow bigger than Tiger Woods...that it will survive, recover, and thrive again. You think? Um, no. I don't. The game is not bigger than Tiger. In fact, Tiger is so much larger than golf that the sport (and the man) may never recover from this monumental fall from grace.

Some writers have gone nuts and inferred that Tiger IS golf, but he's actually become bigger than that. Tiger, is bigger than Tiger. He transcended the sport - and himself - some years ago. The complexity of this scandal and media's unrelenting pursuit of it are enabling its continuity at epic proportions. Yet, we have all now witnessed more than a decade of intricate deception. Nixon wasn't that good. Are we wrong to feel somewhat betrayed?

We were all informed (since the 1997 Masters tournament) that one man had transcended the game of golf. And, it was good for all of us. Until mistresses numbers 13 and 14 came forward, I felt only mild dismay at witnessing Woods laid so low. But now it is long past the Jack Nicklaus days of my youth, and I fear there is no going back - for golf.

I fear we will not settle for golfers as mere mortals in the future. In fact, if I am honest, after I left that world of country club advertising, I would never have paid any more attention to the sport of golf had it not been for the treasure of our American hero, that Tiger, Tiger, burning bright. I've seen him stride a golf course so often that it became a lovely comfort. Most would agree that it was a special thing to behold (whether you followed golf or not).

Tiger outshone everyone. There was a glow that emanated from him from the very beginning.We've all seen professional athletes that were larger than life, but Tiger appeared to be fueled by the sun itself. Must he now be cast from paradise? I fear it has already happened.

Perhaps, Tiger’s paradise was more like a prison to him. I simply cannot let go of my last bit of empathy for him. Falling from grace is tragic enough in my book. So, let's talk about golf post TigerGate. And, let's not pretend that it is somehow more than that. Golf is just a game. What happened to Tiger Woods and his family is real life. And that’s a scary thought.

#118 - Rethinking the American Dream

2009-12-18T11:29:00.007-06:00

The American Dream. It is still the quintessential aspiration, yet each of us has a unique vision of just what it is. For some, the dream is a chance to build a successful business. For others, it's a home of their own. And for still others, it's the opportunity to buy the very latest gadget or shop until they drop. As alluring as any of the visions are, however, they are outcomes of the dream and not the dream, itself. The American Dream is actually a state of mind.

We all know that the American Dream exists because we live in a nation founded on certain extraordinary principles. Much as we take them for granted, deep down, every one of us knows that we are especially fortunate to live in a land where we are accorded an enduring right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. While most of us are very clear about what Life and Liberty mean, there still seems to be some confusion about the pursuit of Happiness. And it's causing some of us to misperceive the American Dream.

Our founding fathers inadvertently put us in this situation when they used capitol letters on Life, Liberty and Happiness, when what they really meant for us was a commitment to "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness." In other words, what the American Dream promises is not our right to happiness, but our right to the chance to achieve it on our own.

What does that mean for the workforce?
Over the past decade or so, social scientists have been trying to figure out just what happiness is and where it comes from. While some feel the answers are intuitively obvious, it turns out that we may be selling ourselves short. Humans have the capacity not only to experience happiness, but to experience joy, as well. And the two states are very different.

Joy is an emotional state. It is derived from our relationships with our families and friends. When those interactions engage and satisfy us, when they enable us to be ourselves best with others in our Life, we experience joy--the human species' greatest gift.

Happiness, on the other hand, is a cognitive state. It occurs when we are tested by meaningful challenges that stimulate us to express and experience our fullest natural potential, our talent. These challenges can occur anywhere, but they are most prevalent in our workplaces. In other words, our best shot at Achieving happiness is to find a position where we can excel at what we love to do.

That is the essence of the real American Dream. It is a personal commitment, a determination to devote Life and exercise Liberty to the accomplishment of two tasks:

To discovering our natural talent (or what we love to do and do best); and,
To working where we can use that talent to achieve satisfying goals.

The outcomes of each task will be unique for each of us, but the tasks themselves are the same for all of us. These two missions are the key to a successful job search, a rewarding career, and a happy life. Whether you're in transition or currently employed, having these goals empowers you to control your own destiny, to shape it to an end that is fulfilling to you. This is our inalienable right, yes, but it is also our responsibility. For only we can take the first step, only we can decide to set off on a quest for happiness.

Should we bother?
Absolutely. And we should strive to realize as much joy as possible in the journey itself. Still, as wonderful as our relationships and our joy may be, we deserve even more. We spend at least one-third of our lives at our jobs - at work. The work experience should offer more than frustration, anxiety and despair. It can (and should) be a source of profound fulfillment. Or, what our founding fathers called "Happiness."

#117 - Do 2009's Top Videos actually define our year?

2009-12-17T10:27:00.009-06:00

Was the biggest news story this year really Susan Boyle? That depends largely on what you consider news. Today, both YouTube and Twitter announced 2009's top trends according to what people are posting. The results are not really surprising, but it is interesting to peek into this huge data set. It gives us a better understanding of the direction in which the collective consciousness is evolving – likes and dislikes, causes we stand for (#iranelection), what really ticks us off, and what mildly annoys us. If analyzed carefully, this perspective may hold the seeds to what (exactly) makes an item go viral, which is sort of the holy grail for today's marketers.

Let's start with Twitter. Twitter trends are never surprising because you can see them every day under “Trending Topics” on the screen. If you are a Twitter addict (and I am not), then nothing on the list will seem newsworthy. The top Twitter trends across all categories were - the Iran election, Michael Jackson, Harry Potter, American Idol, Super Bowl, Google Wave, #musicmonday. So much for hard news. And gee, what happened to health care reform, the Obama Presidency, Irag and Afghanistan? (Next, someone will tell us the Tiger Woods scandal is actually important news.)

The real story here and the most amazing thing about Twitter is the way it has evolved over the span of a year, and how its users have contributed to the evolution. Take # tags, @, RT - these were invented by users. Twitter literally tapped into the wisdom of the ubiquitous "crowd." It is also a great example of the power of Web 2.0 and crowd sourcing. The graphic below demonstrates all the top Twitter trends this year.

Check out more about Twitter Trends 2009 @Twitter Blog

Next, we have YouTube, which offers two lists:

1). Most watched Video (YouTube video and music video)

2). Fastest Rising YouTube search term by month (Global & U.S.)

Susan Boyle wins the race hands down with a whopping 120 million views followed by “David After Dentist”Pitbull “I Know You Want Me” followed by Miley Cyrus “The Climb” with 37 million. Note – Susan Boyle also holds 2nd place in the Twitter trends of “People,” just after Michael Jackson.

Most Watched YouTube videos (Global):

1. Susan Boyle – Britain’s Got Talent (120+ million views)

2. David After Dentist (37+ million views)

3. JK Wedding Entrance Dance (33+ million views)

4. New Moon Movie Trailer (31+ million views)

5. Evian Roller Babies (27+ million views)

Most watched YouTube music videos:

1. Pitbull “I Know You Want Me” (82+ million views)

2. Miley Cyrus “The Climb” (64+ million views)

3. Miley Cyrus “Party in the U.S.A.” (54+ million views)

4. The Lonely Island “I’m On a Boat” (48+ million views)

5. Keri Hilson “Knock You Down” (35+ million views)

Google, Bing & Yahoo have also come up with their top searches for 2009. You can check them out here:

-Google(and this)

-Bing

-Yahoo

I don't know about you, but I am not always "up" on the latest or greatest at Twitter and YouTube. As a mass communications professional, I think it is important to keep abreast of what's going on on-line. Just consider the numbers. Millions upon millions of people took the time to log on and watch each of the videos listed. This is how popular culture changes.

That's your on-line year in review. Do you have an opinion or a favorite? Please share.

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#116 - How to Conquer the Holiday Blues

2009-12-16T10:29:00.011-06:00

The holiday season has jingled it's way here and now visions of festive parties and gifts are dancing in some of our heads. Do you have certain expectations of the holidays? Most people do, and many are actually fueled by images we've seen on TV and the big screen. Often, when things don't turn out to be as glamorous or lively in our own holidays, we feel let down. For some, this turns into full-fledged depression. The truth is, very few lead lifestyles anything like those depicted by the media. The most common reaction to unmet expectations is a sense of emptiness or sadness.

A dear friend recently confided that he was feeling surprisingly sad and empty as this particular Christmas draws near. I was somewhat taken aback at this because he is an outwardly happy and very successful man. He elaborated that he understands he has nothing to feel sad about, and that's what makes situational depression so confusing. This person enjoys a great career, has a wonderful family, and many dear friends who care, but none of it seems to matter as the depression settles upon him. I can assure you that my friend is far from alone in these feelings. Add the struggling economy to this season's holiday picture and it's no wonder the national suicide rate is up.

Consider a few simple suggestions for coping with the holiday blues:

1) Live in the moment
Don’t compare this day with any previous holiday or your picture of some ideal holiday. Look for and relish each pleasure, however small, as it comes and in whatever form. Don’t see all the preparation as a means to obtaining some climactic moment. Try to find happiness in each smaller activity leading up to that special celebration. You'll often find your real holiday spirit in the planning, shopping, baking, decorating, and wrapping. Savor the small moments wherever you find them.

2) Look up old friends
If you’re feeling down, just contact someone you haven't spoken to in awhile. Visit a long-lost friend or relative, even that crotchety old uncle, the one who is probably feeling pretty lonely now, too. Choosing to get yourself out among people - especially new people - regardless of your own situation or how you feel will help to reduce any feeling of disconnectedness.

3) Focus on others (and get out of your own head)
Giving is also an effective way of lessening or even eliminating feelings of sadness and loneliness. When you choose to help others who are less fortunate, you connect with your fellow man and this glorious world we all share. We are in this together! Even volunteering for just a few hours at the local shelter, soup kitchen, animal shelter, or your favorite non-profit can put you back in the true spirit of the holidays.

4) Pamper yourself
Most important, remember to take care of you. Get some exercise. Treat yourself to a massage, facial or pedicure (guys, this means you, too); indulge in your favorite hobby for an entire weekend, or settle in with a favorite movie or a good, thick book. Giving in to that dark mood is a choice - your choice. Instead, choose happiness. The trick is to lift your spirits and recreate this holiday season in ways that are rewarding to you.

My best wishes to you and yours for a warm, satisfying holiday season!

Elizabeth

#115 - Do you know what cyberspace is saying about you?

2009-12-15T11:21:00.003-06:00

The days of content disappearing into the ether are over. Everything we do online is being tracked, recorded, and often displayed somewhere. Each of us is tweeting, face-booking, blogging, and you-tubing a legacy that our families, our great grandchildren, will be able to read. The real question is: will we be proud of this online legacy?

The cautionary moral is obvious. Our true personality, and more importantly our character, is coming through loud and clear for the world to see in each of our social networks. Now that this is called to our attention, let’s make sure that anything we publish, openly or privately, is something we wouldn’t mind our children and grandchildren seeing.

#114 - TMI = Too Much Information

2009-12-13T13:09:00.005-06:00

Your business called. It said you're over-sharing via social media and scaring away clients in the process.

I’m just going to come straight out and say it: social media is good for business. It’s a chance to connect, develop and nurture relationships, cultivate “expert status,” and grow a successful enterprise. But, there’s one HUGE problem. Propriety has gone out the window.

In a sense, a computer is much like a security blanket. People say things online that they would never say in real life. You would never share your intimate relationship details with a business acquaintance. You wouldn’t call up a potential client and tell him or her you’re bored today. Just because you feel like you can share anything on the Internet doesn’t mean you should.

If you want to make a good impression online, try to avoid the most common social media pitfalls:

Getting too personal
Sometimes, I think people forget that sites like Facebook and Twitter are public. They broadcast information that’s better kept private. Take this recent Tweet from a blog colleague:

“Going to have my yearly pap smear today. Be sure to schedule yours!”
Really? I don’t know about you, but the last thing I need is a visual of that client or colleague in stirrups. Even worse than the unflattering mental image is that the personal information over-shadows a larger, more helpful message about women's health. This status update could have raised awareness and motivated people to set up vital health care appointments. Instead, it just made everyone cringe.

Don’t get me wrong. Sharing personal information can work for you if it’s done carefully and with purpose. For example: “October is breast cancer awareness month. I know the value of yearly examinations first-hand. Be sure to set your annual appointment today.”

The general rule is this: If you wouldn’t stand up in the middle of a networking meeting and announce what you plan to say in a status update, then don’t do it. In real life, you filter yourself, and you should always do the same online.

Posting boring updates
I must confess, I’m guilty of having written a boring status update or two. (That’s the conservative estimate.) The problem? These updates insidiously attack your overall reputation because they don’t help anyone or convey necessary information.
Common offenders: “I’m bored,” “Going to lunch,” or “Watching TV tonight.” You get the idea.

These updates were what made business-owners slow to adopt social media in the first place. Remember the days when we would say: “Who really cares if I’m drinking coffee. No one cares to know that.” Well, we were right: no one cares. If you’re now using social media to tell people you’re drinking coffee or doing the laundry you might want to re-think your online strategy.

Boring updates are usually posted for two reasons.
1. You feel guilty if you don’t post something. (People are following you!)
2. You can’t think of anything clever, inspirational, or informative to say.
The root of the problem is that we are operating without a plan. We sit down to the computer, stare at the blinking cursor and rack our brains for a bright idea. The result? We share these mundane details that no one really cares about. Instead of wasting 15 minutes every day, create an idea folder. Spend two hours a month visiting other blogs, collecting inspirational quotes, and writing 30 status updates that help your clients or friends (that’s at least one good update each day). Every time you come across a great idea, throw it in the same folder. When you have a fresh source of inspiration, you’ll never write another boring status update.

The play-by-play "tweet" is a cousin to the boring update. For example, a series of tweets like: “I’m at the coffee shop,” “Just ordered a mocha latte,” “It’s fantastic,” “I’m sipping on the mocha and waiting for Jill,” “Jill just got here!” Refrain from this, everyone. I beg you.

Being passive-aggressive online
While some status updates are amusing, if you’re an offender in this department you’re probably causing some irreparable harm. What am I talking about? Updates like these:

“Why can’t my clients be more cooperative?”

“I love it when I get stood up for a meeting.”

“The president (or other government official or some company) is #$%#%^.”
Believe it or not, people will know who you’re talking about, and very often, the situation that led to you write the update or tweet. And, if they don’t figure it out, they’ll worry that you’re talking about them. Twitter and the Facebook news feed are not the best places to vent your frustrations about anyone or any issue.

When it comes down to it, airing your dirty laundry via social media is just a bad idea. YOU come off as the bad guy: you sound like a whiner instead of a problem-solver, you risk alienating people you work with, and possible future clients. (Who wants to live in fear that the next nasty note will be about them?)

On the opposite side of the coin, and just as bad is being outright rude, offensive, or belligerent about any issue. It’s social media – not the editorial page.

Ultimately, the goal of social media is to stay in touch with friends, colleagues, co-workers, classmates, family members afar, or to expand a business, positioning you as an expert and helping your clients. You can do all of these by providing helpful information and avoiding the common pitfalls.

Best Days to Fly for the December Holiday!

#113 - Graduation Day at last!

2009-12-12T14:06:00.003-06:00

It's official. I officially graduated from the Mass Communications master's program at Murray State University today. Wow. I can't quite believe it's over. It was great to see so many of my classmates there in the row beside me, and all the professors in front of us in their caps and gowns.

I offer my sincere thanks to my readers, friends and family...everyone who supported me along the way. I wouldn't have made it without you.

Today also marks the final day of Blog-Off II, the contest I am competing in at CommunityMarketingBlog.com. Please take a few seconds to simply click on the link to my final article submission. The contest runs through midnight tonight!

http://www.communitymarketing.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/12/fight-back-dont-let-tmi-too-much-information-overload-your-life.html?cid=6a00e552893e3c88330120a747a955970b#comment-6a00e552893e3c88330120a747a955970b

Next week, a new blog, and a new adventure. Stay tuned for details on my next project. I hope you'll come along for the ride.

#112 - Finding your true passion

2009-12-09T16:28:00.003-06:00

Today's entry in Blog-Off II, a contest I am participating in through Dec. 12, 2009, explores having a passion for a career in writing, or a career passion for just about anything.

I hope you'll click on the link and view the post (complete with graphics) at the CommunityMarketingBlog.com contest site:

http://www.communitymarketing.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/12/are-you-passionate-about-writintg.html

#111 - Focus on Friendship

2009-12-07T15:46:00.003-06:00

As mentioned in a previous post, I'm blogging December 1 - 12 at communitymarketingblog.com in Blog-Off II. I was selected to compete with other bloggers for $45,000 in prizes. I have no expectation to win, of course, but I do hope followers will be supportive and click on the link below to review my current post.

I am being judged on the quality of my writing, headlines, the number of page views (or people who visit my full text) and the number of comments received for each post. It's quite an honor to have been selected. The other competitors have provided invaluable feedback and support for this fledgling blogger.

I am giving this competition my all right now. I hope you'll click on today's blog link:

This link should work. Thanks so much for your support!

http://www.communitymarketing.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/12/youve-got-a-friendor-do-you.html

Elizabeth Thomas

#110 - Blog-Off II Contest Continues Today

2009-12-06T15:25:00.005-06:00

As mentioned in my last post, I'm blogging between December 1 - 12 at communitymarketingblog.com in a contest called Blog-Off II. I was selected to compete with 30 other bloggers internationally for $45,000 in prizes. I have no expectation of a win, of course, but I hope followers will be supportive and click on the link below to review my current post in the competition.

I am being judged there on the quality of my writing, my headlines, the number of page views (or people who visit my full text) and the number of comments received for each post. It's quite an honor to have been selected for this. The other competitors and colleagues have already provided me with invaluable feedback for this fledgling blogger.

I am giving this competition my all right now. With a little help from my friends, I hope to make a decent showing. On day four of the competition, I was ranked #10 out of 50 postings. Not too bad for a newbie!

http://www.communitymarketingblog.com/my_weblog/2009/12/how-colleges-and-universities-can-attract-more-nontraditional-students.html

#109 - Blog-Off II continues and I can use your help

2009-12-05T13:59:00.003-06:00

Happy holidays to all! It's a glorious day in Western Kentucky, although a bit nippy out for this Florida gal. As mentioned in my last post, I'm blogging almost daily between December 1 - 12 at communitymarketingblog.com in a contest called Blog-Off II. I was actually selected last week to compete with 30 other bloggers internationally for $45,000 in prizes. I have no expectation of a win, of course, but I hope followers will be supportive and click on the link below to review my current post in the competition.

I am being judged there on the quality of my writing, my headlines, the number of page views (or people who visit my full text) and the number of comments received for each post. It's quite an honor to have been selected for this. The other competitors and colleagues have already provided me with invaluable feedback for this fledgling blogger.

I am giving this competition my all right now. With a little help from my friends, I hope to make a decent showing. On day four of the competition, I was ranked #10 out of 50 postings. Not too bad for a newbie!

http://www.communitymarketing.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/12/tell-me-your-hearts-deepest-desire.html

Feel free to share the link with your friends and family members. You have my appreciation - always. I will be sharing much of what I learn through this experience in future posts following the contest.

Elizabeth

#108 - Let the games begin!

2009-12-01T17:11:00.010-06:00

I'll be competing over the next 12 days (the 12 days of Christmas, sort of) in a national competition called Blog-Off II. This is happening through the auspices of the Community Marketing Blog. I hope you'll take a side trip to check out my posts at the competition site. Just click on the link below. My work will be judged based upon the number of visitors, so I hope you'll be stopping by - and often. Think of it as an early Christmas present to your hard-working blogger pal!

Blog Off II Annual Writer's Competition:
http://www.communitymarketingblog.com
- Look for the link to Blog-Off II and click on it.

If the link does not work, you can copy and past the URL into your browser or go to communitymarketingblog.com and click on BLOG OFF II - then read the posts each day through December 12th. Please comment! Better yet, send your friends and family members to the site, too. I so appreciate your help.

#107 - Ten Rules for Being Human

2009-11-30T15:03:00.003-06:00

1. You only get one body. You may like it or you may hate it, but it’s yours to keep for the entire period.

2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school. It's called “life.”

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error and experimentation. The “failed” experiments are as much a part of the process as the ones that ultimately work out.

4. Lessons are repeated until they are actually learned. A lesson will be presented to you in as many forms as necessary until you finally learn it. When you have learned it, you may move on to the next lesson.

5. The lessons and the learning never end. There’s no part of your life that will not contain a lesson. If you’re alive, that means there are more lessons to be learned.

6. Over there is no better a place than here. When your there does become a here, you are simply going to find another there to dream about that seems better than here.

7. Other people are mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate in yourself.

8. What you make of your life is up to you and nobody but you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is totally your choice.

9. All the answers lie within you. The answers to life’s questions are right here. All you need to do is look, listen and trust yourself.

10. You are going to forget all of these things at some point.